U.S. envoy Witkoff to meet Israeli, Qatari officials in Rome in Gaza ceasefire push

Steve Witkoff, the White House Middle East envoy, is set to meet with senior Qatari and Israeli officials in Rome on Thursday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. This meeting comes as negotiators from Hamas and Israel are holding indirect talks in Doha to resolve the remaining sticking points. Witkoff has indicated that he will only join the talks in Doha if a deal is close to being reached. The Rome meeting is seen as a sign that a deal may be imminent, with sources suggesting it could be a matter of days away. Witkoff will meet with Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer and a senior Qatari envoy in Rome. If progress is made, Witkoff will travel to Doha later in the week to finalize the deal. The parties are currently waiting for Hamas' response to the latest proposal, which was expected on Tuesday night. Qatari mediators have been pressing Hamas not to reopen previously negotiated issues to move the deal forward. The US, Qatar, and Egypt are mediating the talks, and a deal would mark a significant breakthrough in the Gaza ceasefire and hostage negotiations.