US special envoy Steve Witkoff is not currently en route to the Middle East, as claimed earlier by US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, according to a source familiar with the matter.
Witkoff hasn’t left the US yet, but hopes to come to Doha toward the end of the week if enough progress is made in the ongoing hostage release-ceasefire talks, the source says.
Bruce had told reporters during a briefing that Witkoff “is heading to the region now — to the Gaza area.”
When pressed on specifics, she said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hadn’t told her where exactly the US envoy was heading.
Witkoff’s presence in Doha has been framed as an indicator that talks are nearing a conclusion, as negotiators have said he only wants to join the talks when they reach a point where they are ready for an agreement to be announced.
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
