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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 475

Steve Witkoff

US President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Trump ‘not confident’ Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal will hold through all 3 phases
By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff
New US president ‘might’ help rebuild Gaza, which has ‘phenomenal location’; Hamas can’t govern Strip – ‘they didn’t exactly run it well’; Israeli-Saudi normalization may come ‘soon’
US President Donald Trump speaks alongside relatives of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. Rescued hostage Noa Argamani is immediately behind Trump. (ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
Trump invites hostages’ families on stage, before announcing pardon of ‘Jan. 6 hostages’
By Jacob Magid
Demonstrators raise placards during a protest calling for action to secure the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza since the October 2023, in Tel Aviv on January 14, 2025. (Jack GUEZ / AFP)
January 23, 2025, 1:52 am
How ‘the stars aligned’ after over a year to reach a hostage release-ceasefire deal
Damage to Hezbollah, Sinwar’s killing pressured Hamas, officials say, while Trump’s ‘hell to pay’ threat gave new momentum; Qataris credit partnership between Biden, Trump advisers
By AP and ToI Staff
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani attends a conversation at the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2025. (Markus Schreiber/AP)
January 22, 2025, 8:04 pm
Top officials said already gearing up for 2nd phase hostage talks, ahead of schedule
Qatari PM says ‘pushing for this’; Shin Beit, Mossad chiefs reportedly discussed next stage in Egypt, two weeks before start date; Trump envoy Witkoff also expected to be involved
By ToI Staff, Reuters and Jacob Magid
US President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room at the White House on January 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Jim Watson/AFP)
January 22, 2025, 10:09 am
Trump considering Mideast visit but ‘not yet,’ says only his deadline got hostage deal done
‘We have a thing called “the hostages are coming back” going on right now,’ US president tells reporters, as envoy Witkoff confirms he’ll go to Gaza to oversee deal implementation
By Jacob Magid
US President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office of the White House, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
January 21, 2025, 10:38 am
Trump ‘not confident’ Gaza hostage-ceasefire deal will hold through all 3 phases
New US president ‘might’ help rebuild Gaza, which has ‘phenomenal location’; Hamas can’t govern Strip – ‘they didn’t exactly run it well’; Israeli-Saudi normalization may come ‘soon’
By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff
US President Donald Trump speaks alongside relatives of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas during the inaugural parade inside Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. Rescued hostage Noa Argamani is immediately behind Trump. (ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
January 21, 2025, 4:49 am
Trump invites hostages’ families on stage, before announcing pardon of ‘Jan. 6 hostages’
Relatives of abductees as well as freed hostage Noa Argamani welcomed by US president at rally; he declares: ‘More are coming home every day now; we never stopped praying for you’
By Jacob Magid
US President Joe Biden, right, meets with US President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, November 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
January 16, 2025, 9:58 am
On a deadline: How Biden and Trump brokered hostage deal before ‘all hell’ broke loose
Mediators used framework outlined by outgoing US president and were empowered by Israel’s weakening of Iranian axis, but needed assistance from US president-elect to close the deal
By Jacob Magid
US President Joe Biden, center, with Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, right, speaks in the Cross Hall of the White House on the announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages after more than 15 months of war, January 15, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
January 16, 2025, 6:43 am
Biden: US-backed pressure on Iranian axis helped secure hostage deal, end of Gaza war
Outgoing US officials acknowledge that cooperation from Trump’s team provided boost, argue that Israel’s ‘defanging’ of Hezbollah isolated Hamas enough for it to accept ceasefire
By Jacob Magid
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner listen as then-Republican presidential nominee former US president Donald Trump attends an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, in West Palm Beach, Florida, November 6, 2024. (Evan Vucci/AP)
January 15, 2025, 5:18 pm
Jared Kushner advising from afar, Ivanka Trump opts out of role in father’s 2nd term
Daughter says she is focused on family; son-in-law counseling behind scenes and briefing new Middle East envoy, source says; Jared also running Middle East equity firm
By Alexandra Ulmer
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) meets US President-elect Donald Trump's Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff at his office in Jerusalem, January 11, 2025. (Prime Minister's Office Spokesperson)
January 15, 2025, 3:26 am
Arab officials: Trump envoy swayed Netanyahu more in one meeting than Biden did all year
‘Tense’ Jerusalem sit-down led to breakthrough in talks, with Israel and Hamas agreeing in principle to hostage deal two days later; sides now finalizing implementation details
By Jacob Magid
Protesters call for the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, outside the IDF's Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv, January 13, 2025. (Itai Ron/Flash90)
January 13, 2025, 11:03 pm
Israeli officials: Deal will see 33 hostages freed in 1st stage, most of them alive
Negotiations to free remaining captives to begin on 16th day of potential ceasefire deal; talks advanced after ‘tense’ meeting between Netanyahu, Trump envoy, officials tell ToI
By Amy Spiro, Emanuel Fabian, Jacob Magid and ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) speaks to Mossad chief David Barnea at Mossad headquarters during a New Year toast on September 14, 2023. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
January 11, 2025, 7:12 pm
Netanyahu dispatches top negotiators to Qatar talks amid push to seal hostage deal
Delegation to Doha will include heads of Mossad and Shin Bet and hostage point man; Hamas sources claim ceasefire accord is ‘completed’ and awaiting Netanyahu’s final approval
By Lazar Berman, ToI Staff and Jacob Magid
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot prepare to deliver remarks at the Quai d'Orsay in Paris, on January 8, 2025. (Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP)
January 8, 2025, 11:23 pm
Blinken: We’re very close to hostage deal, it’ll be handed to Trump if not finalized
Secretary says Biden to hand off near-finished Gaza ‘Day After’ and Saudi normalization plans; US officials warn Trump aide of Gaza ‘catastrophe’ when anti-UNRWA laws implemented
By Jacob Magid
US President-elect Donald Trump speaks as Steve Witkoff listens, during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, January 7, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP/ Evan Vucci)
January 8, 2025, 12:22 am
Trump’s Mideast envoy to visit Qatar, claiming hostage deal on verge of completion
While Witkoff says progress made in Doha, Hamas stands by demand for permanent end to war, which Israel rejects; president-elect: ‘It won’t be good for anyone’ if no deal by Jan. 20
By Jacob Magid
US State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus speaks at a news conference at the State Department in Washington, June 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
January 4, 2025, 3:08 am
Trump appoints Ortagus as deputy Mideast envoy, but admits he’s not excited about it
In making announcement, US president-elect appears to reference the ex-State Department spokesperson’s previous criticism of him, warns that he expects results soon
By Jacob Magid
Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani arrives for a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at 10 Downing Street in central London, on December 4, 2024 (JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
December 7, 2024, 1:26 pm
Qatar’s PM confirms resumption of Gaza mediation role, cites fresh momentum for deal
Al Thani says there’s been ‘a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration to achieve a deal,’ even before Trump’s term starts
By Agencies and ToI Staff
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