Scoop: Trump huddles with Kushner and Witkoff ahead of crucial Gaza talks
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Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff chat on a tarmac in New Jersey in July. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Trump met Tuesday with his top national security team to discuss the progress of the Gaza negotiations before his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner departed for Egypt, two sources with knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: Trump and his team are pushing hard for both Israel and Hamas to conclude their negotiations within days and agree on a deal that would free the remaining hostages and end a war that has now crossed the two-year mark.
Driving the news: Kushner and Witkoff departed for Sharm Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt on Tuesday afternoon and will arrive on Wednesday morning.
- Senior U.S. officials expressed cautious optimism about the chances of reaching a deal this week and emphasized that Kushner and Witkoff won't leave Egypt without an agreement to release the hostages and end the war.
- "Bibi has done an excellent job. The military pressure was critical to make Hamas more pragmatic. But now Bibi must understand that the time for a deal has come," a senior U.S. official said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his nickname.
- U.S. and Israeli officials say the negotiations over the last day were of a technical nature and focused on mapping out the remaining gaps, and they'll reach crunch time only when Witkoff and Kushner arrive.
In the room: Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles were among the officials who attended the meeting, one source said.
- According to the source, Witkoff and Kushner briefed the participants about the status of the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, which began Monday, and on the latest messages they've received from the Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish mediators.
On Tuesday morning, Trump sent a letter to a group of Israeli hostage families thanking them for nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Trump stressed in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by Axios, that he is personally committed and resolved to bringing the hostages back home and ending the war within days.
- "May God bless you and your loved ones, and may He continue to bless the United States of America and the State of Israel, as we pray that this conflict will be at an end in the coming days — or else," Trump wrote.
The latest: Trump said at the top of his meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that the U.S. is "in very serious negotiations" for a deal in Gaza. "We want to free the hostages. Every country in the world supports my plan. There is a real chance to reach a deal."
- Trump was asked about guarantees to the Arab world that Israel won't resume the war once the hostages are released. He said he would use all his power to ensure all parties adhere to the deal.
- Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani will also join the talks on Wednesday, along with the heads of the Turkish and Egyptian intelligence services. Netanyahu's top adviser Ron Dermer will also attend.
This story has been updated with new details throughout.
