Attacks On Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East Deal Maker, Aim To Undermine Gaza Ceasefire

Allies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have sought to damage Witkoff — and in so doing, delay or block the end of the Israel-Hamas war.

In the days and weeks preceding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrival in Washington on Monday to meet with President Donald Trump, Israeli officials and right-wing allies of Netanyahu in the United States have attacked Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, and Qatar’s role as a critical broker of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.

The effort to undermine Witkoff and Qatar raises fears among ceasefire supporters that while Netanyahu outwardly supports the Trump-backed ceasefire deal, he is quietly trying to delay — or even scuttle — the second phase of the ceasefire, which would fully end the war in Gaza.

“They’re undermining President Donald Trump,” said an American close to both the Trump administration and Gulf Arab countries, who requested anonymity to speak without authorization. “It’s President Donald Trump’s deal, and President Donald Trump’s best friend who’s his official representative on the deal.”

Witkoff, a wealthy real-estate tycoon, played an integral role in sealing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in the waning days of the Biden administration, which welcomed his participation in final talks in Doha, Qatar. Most observers believe Witkoff’s pressure on Israel was critical for ensuring Netanyahu’s buy-in.

In a now-famous story, Witkoff, who is Jewish, asked for an in-person meeting with Netanyahu on a Saturday, and refused to accept the request from Netanyahu’s team that it wait until after the end of the Jewish sabbath. Days later, Netanyahu agreed to a ceasefire and hostage exchange deal on terms Israel had at least partly rejected in the past.