Witkoff says he hopes to settle multiple global conflicts, including Gaza war, by year’s end

US special envoy Steve Witkoff says he hopes to settle the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran nuclear talks, and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza by the end of the year.

“Russia-Ukraine, Iran, Israel-Hamas — we’re having meetings all this week on all three of those conflicts, and we hope to settle them before the end of this year,” Witkoff tells Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House.

Witkoff doesn’t specify the nature of the meeting he referenced regarding the Gaza war.

Arab mediators are still waiting for Israel to respond to the proposal they crafted based on Witkoff’s framework, which was accepted by Hamas on August 17. The US has similarly refrained from commenting on the proposal and appears to be backing Israeli plans to take over Gaza City.

Trump said yesterday that he thinks the Gaza war will reach a “conclusive end” within two to three weeks, though he didn’t explain his rationale for that time frame, which he’s also cited in other contexts. Israel’s Gaza City operation is expected to take several months.

Witkoff says he wishes the Nobel Committee would “get its act together” and award Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, garnering applause from the other cabinet members in the room.

"There's only thing I wish for, that that Nobel committee finally gets its act together and realizes that you are the single finest candidate since the Nobel Peace, this Nobel award was ever talked about, to receive that award."

— Steve Witkoff pic.twitter.com/l9GnOrkcJx

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) August 26, 2025