Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff becomes the first U.S. official to visit Gaza in more than a decade, ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Wednesday, then met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the Gaza ceasefire and a regional diplomatic push.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff met today with the freed hostages and heard their appeals that the USA continue to work to free those still held by Hamas.

Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Wednesday abolished the country’s constitution and declared himself president during a meeting of armed factions in Damascus.

Steve Witkoff helped negotiate the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. His visit to Gaza pn Wednesday was the first by a senior U.S. official in more than a decade.

The real estate magnate-turned-diplomat reflects on his son's death as he travels to Israel to oversee implementation of Gaza ceasefire.

This trip comes as negotiations for the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas are set to begin, with the US envoy to the Middle East expressing optimism going forward

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, said on Wednesday that he welcomed the potential for “a dialogue” with Hamas and heaped praise on Qatar for helping facilitate the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza, despite facing scrutiny for previous ties to the Gulf nation.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios in an interview at the end of his trip to the Middle East that rebuilding Gaza could take between 10 and 15 years. Why it matters: The Trump administration wants to see the ceasefire continue and Gaza stabilized so it can move forward with its ambitious plans for the Middle East,

Israel was due to free 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, in exchange for the three Israelis released on Thursday, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said. It is the third hostage-prisoner exchange under a January 19 ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in Gaza.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Wednesday before meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as efforts to solidify a ceasefire and advance regional diplomacy continue. His visit,