US pressures 'Israel' for Gaza deal; Witkoff's Israeli rebuke leaked
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The US administration is reportedly pressuring "Israel" to agree to a ceasefire and a captive deal with Hamas before President Trump's upcoming Middle East visit, raising concerns over diplomatic support.
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US President Donald Trump, left, greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Monday, April 7, 2025, in Washington (AP)
The administration of US President Donald Trump is reportedly pressuring "Israel" to agree to a ceasefire and a captive deal with Hamas before Trump's upcoming Middle East visit, according to Haaretz.
An unnamed source familiar with the negotiations stated that the US has warned Israeli officials that if they do not cooperate in advancing such an agreement, "Israel" will be "left alone", implying a potential withdrawal of US diplomatic support.
The push for a deal comes as the Trump administration seeks to broker a resolution to the ongoing war in Gaza ahead of the president's regional trip.
A recent report, without citing a specific source, identified Steve Witkoff as the unnamed senior US official referenced in a Channel 12 story earlier this week.
According to that report, the official had criticized "Israel's" approach to the captive situation during a meeting with the captives' families, while the nature of the criticism and the full context of the remarks remain unspecified.
The official was quoted as warning: "If until today, the hostages paid the price for not ending the war, then today the price will be much heavier for Israel, and not only the hostages."
The remarks also criticized "Israel" for failing to leverage the emerging US-Saudi nuclear deal, an agreement that, according to reports, President Trump has reportedly decoupled from the requirement for Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with the Zionist entity.
“If Israel doesn’t come to its senses, the price of missing out will be higher than ever before,” the official, allegedly Witkoff, warned.
Haaretz further reports that Witkoff's criticism of Netanyahu's government was deliberately leaked to the media at his request, though his office has since denied that the Trump administration is pressuring "Israel" to reach a deal.
This comes amid an increasingly souring relationship between the United States and "Israel", which is reportedly leading Trump to pursue US policy in the Middle East while sidelining its "greatest ally in the Middle East".
The rift between Trump and Netanyahu
Sources close to Trump indicate he is increasingly disappointed with Netanyahu, following reports that Netanyahu has grown frustrated with the US leader, marking a turning point in their relationship as Trump begins to distance his administration from coordination with "Israel" on key Middle East strategies.
Two senior Trump administration officials, in closed conversations relayed to Israel Hayom, revealed that the president has decided to advance regional policy decisions independently rather than waiting for Netanyahu's input.
Trump aims to strengthen US influence in the region, particularly with Gulf states, and while initial normalization efforts included coordination with "Israel," the administration now sees Netanyahu's reluctance, especially his refusal to publicly endorse a "horizon for a Palestinian state", as a major hindrance.
Trump's frustration has intensified following reports that Netanyahu and his associates pressured former National Security Advisor Mike Waltz to take military action against Iran, leading to his ousting from the administration on May 3.
Although Netanyahu denies substantial involvement and claims he only spoke to Waltz once, Trump reportedly remains unconvinced and sees this as part of a wider concerning pattern.
