A crucial, dramatic meeting between President Trump's envoys and Hamas leaders last Wednesday was instrumental in finalizing a Gaza peace deal. A significant hurdle was Hamas's fear of renewed Israeli warfare after hostage release. To overcome this, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met Hamas leaders in person. They directly assured Hamas that President Trump would prevent further conflict if the group upheld its end of the agreement. Trump had previously authorized this direct engagement if deemed necessary to secure the deal. Upon arrival in Egypt, Witkoff informed mediators of Trump's approval. Mediators then facilitated the meeting at Witkoff's villa, recognizing its potential to break the stalemate. Witkoff and Kushner met with senior Hamas officials, including their lead negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya. During the 45-minute discussion, Witkoff emphasized that holding hostages was now a liability for Hamas and urged them to move forward with the deal's first phase. Al-Hayya inquired about a message from Trump, to which Witkoff conveyed that Trump's message was fair treatment and full implementation of his peace plan. Following this meeting, Hamas leaders conferred with mediators, and the Egyptian spy chief announced a deal had been reached. This direct engagement demonstrated to Hamas the U.S.'s serious commitment to enforcing the agreement.