Washington DC [US], August 27 : US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced that President Donald Trump will chair a "large meeting" at the White House on Wednesday in which he will discuss a "comprehensive plan" on the management of Gaza after the war, Times of Israel reported, citing Fox News.
As per Times of Israel, this is the first time Witkoff has revealed the existence of a US plan for post-war management.
"Many people are going to see how robust it is and how well-meaning it is, and it reflects President Trump's humanitarian motives," Witkoff said in a Fox News interview, without elaborating further.
Witkoff also reiterated the Trump administration's official position on the ceasefire deal, which he said is to oppose additional partial Gaza hostage deals.
Earlier, Trump backed this stance when he posted on Truth Social hours after Hamas accepted the Arab mediators' latest proposal on August 18 that the hostages would only be freed after Hamas was dismantled entirely. However, the White House stated that it is reviewing the latest phased hostage deal proposal, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Despite Hamas' acceptance of the 60-day proposal, Witkoff blamed the terrorist organisation for the lack of a deal to date, alleging that they " slow-played that process" last month.
Witkoff suggested that Hamas's acceptance of the deal came after Israel put heavy pressure on them.
"It is Hamas now who's saying we accept that deal, and I think in large part they're saying that and changing their mind because the Israelis are putting some very intense pressure on them," Witkoff told Fox, without saying whether Israel should do the same.
Israel has not accepted the deal and is conducting a ground operation to wipe out the Hamas organisation as part of their Gaza evacuation plan.
Israeli attacks across Gaza have killed at least 61 people since dawn Monday, including seven seeking aid. Gaza's Civil Defence said Israel has destroyed 1,000 buildings in Gaza City since August 6, trapping hundreds under rubble, while ongoing shelling and blocked access routes have prevented rescue and aid operations.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor