White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday evening in an effort to broker a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, two U.S. officials said. Why it matters: The talks would be the first since President Trump took office and since the original agreement between Israel and Hamas that established a 42-day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of 33 hostages in its first phase,

The White House confirmed Wednesday that American officials have engaged in direct talks with Hamas. “The special envoy who’s engaged in this negotiation does have the authority to talk to anyone. Israel was consulted on this matter,

Israel has accepted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from the U.S., Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced, hours before a suspension of hostilities with Hamas was due to end. If Hamas also accepts the deal offered by White House envoy Steve Witkoff,

Speaking with journalists outside the White House, Witkoff was asked if there was a deadline to advance a deal to release more hostages before Israel resumes combat operations in the Gaza Strip. “There definitely is such a date,

Zamir tours Gaza on first official day as IDF chief • Trump threatens Hamas to release hostages as deal talks advance • IDF continues op. in West Bank

I t was 1986: Greed was good and the hours were punishing. Still, even round-the-clock dealmakers had to eat. That is how Donald Trump happened upon Steve Witkoff at a deli counter in midtown Manhattan at 3am. One was a son of Queens, the other of the Bronx. Both were hungry. Mr Witkoff paid.

Ukraine was given “fair warning” by the White House before President Donald Trump this week ordered a pause on U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid on the unveiled direct negotiations between the White House and Hamas and how they may reshape the mediated ceasefire deal. Stay tuned for the Friday Focus

Hamas’ treatment of the hostages it has been holding in captivity in the Gaza Strip is "intolerable," U.S. envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said.