Special Envoy Witkoff Pulls US Negotiators out of Doha Talks With Hamas

The United States on July 24 abandoned peace talks with Hamas after the terrorist group signaled that it didn’t seek to come to an agreement on a cease-fire with Israel, according to U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff added that the U.S. negotiation team is now being brought home from Doha, Qatar, where the talks were being held.

“We have decided to bring our team home from Doha for consultations after the latest response from Hamas, which clearly shows a lack of desire to reach a ceasefire in Gaza,” he said in a post on X.

“While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.”

Witkoff said that U.S. officials are looking into “alternative options” to attempt to bring the remaining hostages held by Hamas home, and to create a better environment for people living in Gaza.

The Gaza War has been raging since October 2023, when Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel left 1,200 people dead and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages.

“It is a shame that Hamas has acted in this selfish way. We are resolute in seeking an end to this conflict and a permanent peace in Gaza,” Witkoff said.

His comments come a day after Hamas handed its response to a cease-fire proposal to mediators.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said July 24 that it was also recalling its Gaza negotiating team to Israel for consultations. In a brief statement, the prime minister’s office expressed its appreciation for the efforts of Witkoff and mediators Qatar and Egypt, but gave no further details.

The U.S. plan called for a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release some hostages while Israel would free Palestinian prisoners and allow a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

During the 60 days, the sides were also to begin negotiations on a permanent end to the war. Hamas is holding 50 hostages, around 20 of whom are believed to still be alive.

Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have vowed to continue the war until Hamas yields power and is disarmed, while Hamas has said it will not release all of the hostages until the war is over. The group has said it is seeking assurances that Netanyahu will not resume the war after the 60-day period ends.

U.S. President Donald Trump had promised to quickly negotiate an end to both the Israel–Hamas conflict and the Russia–Ukraine war.

Trump met with Netanyahu earlier this month at the White House, putting his weight behind a push to reach a breakthrough and a cease-fire agreement in Gaza.

Witkoff’s announcement comes days after the Israeli military confirmed that it accidentally struck Gaza’s only Catholic church. The strike killed three people and left nine others injured.

“Following the incident, guidelines for opening fire near religious buildings, shelters, and other sensitive sites were further clarified,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

“The IDF directs its military strikes solely at military targets and works to mitigate harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure as much as possible, including religious institutions. The IDF regrets any harm caused to civilians.”

The strike drew condemnation from officials in the United States and internationally, including from State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.

“Everyone is appalled,” Bruce told reporters last week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.