Witkoff: Breakthrough expected in Gaza, US to negotiate with Iran
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Trump’s 21-point Gaza peace plan gains Support from Arab and Muslim Leaders.
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Special Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff listens as President Donald Trump meets with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Aug 25, 2025, in Washington (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The US president’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said Wednesday that he hopes, or is perhaps confident, that "some form of breakthrough regarding Gaza will be announced."
Witkoff explained that President Donald Trump has presented a 21-point initiative for peace in West Asia and Gaza to Arab and Muslim leaders, stressing that the plan has already received positive feedback. The proposal was introduced on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where Trump urged that the war in Gaza must end urgently.
According to sources cited by Axios, the American plan includes several key principles: the release of all captives, a permanent ceasefire, a phased Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and a governing framework for post-war Gaza that excludes Hamas.
Instead, it envisions a security force made up of Palestinian personnel alongside soldiers from Arab and Muslim states, as well as financial support from those states for reconstruction. The Palestinian Authority may also play a role in this arrangement.
Per Axios, Trump reportedly told Arab and Muslim leaders that prolonging the war only deepens "Israel’s" international isolation. He urged their support for the proposal and commitment to participate in shaping Gaza’s post-war administration.
Conditions from Arab and Muslim leaders
Axios reports that the meeting was attended by leaders and senior officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Indonesia, and Pakistan. According to diplomatic sources, these states expressed support for the American plan but also laid out conditions for their backing.
Among them were guarantees that "Israel" would not annex or occupy any part of Gaza or the West Bank, that no new settlements would be built in Gaza, that the status quo at al-Aqsa Mosque would not be undermined, and that humanitarian aid to Gaza would be expanded immediately.
At the conclusion of the talks, several Arab and Muslim leaders issued a joint statement welcoming Trump’s efforts and pledging cooperation. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi separately praised the initiative, describing it as a serious foundation for achieving peace in the region.
Next steps
On Wednesday, Witkoff and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan to translate Trump’s principles into a more detailed and operational plan. Trump is also expected to present the framework to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during an upcoming meeting at the White House in hopes of securing his approval.
Despite the optimism expressed by some Arab leaders, Axios reports that one Arab official emphasized that while the outline was promising, it still required refinements and input from regional partners.
Witkoff on Iran
Meanwhile, Witkoff confirmed that Washington is engaging diplomatically with Tehran, stating: "We are talking to them, and we want to negotiate." However, Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Sayyed Ali Khamenei, reiterated that under current conditions, dialogue with the US "will be of no benefit and will, in fact, be harmful."
