President Trump met with Israeli officials at the White House on Wednesday, as Israel expands its incursion on Gaza.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Tuesday that the meeting at the White House was to discuss a "comprehensive" plan for what will happen when Israel completes its takeover of Gaza City.
"It's a very comprehensive plan we're putting together on the next day that I think many people are going to be, they're going to see how robust it is and how well-meaning it is," Witkoff said. "And it reflects President Trump's humanitarian motives here."
In addition to Trump's "large meeting," Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
This comes amid a stalled push for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Hamas has said it would accept a ceasefire proposal that is similar to one offered previously by the U.S. However, Israel is seeking a deal that would require Hamas to demilitarize and abdicate all its power in Gaza, as well as hand over all the remaining hostages kidnapped during its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack.
Witkoff said "we're going to settle this one way or another, certainly before the end of this year."
Israel is under international pressure to end the war and the food crisis in Gaza.
Two Israeli strikes that killed journalists and health care workers at a hospital this week have added to the pressure.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike on the Nasser Hospital in Gaza a "tragic mishap." The Israeli military is investigating.
The Hill's Laura Kelly writes:
"The Nasser Hospital strike was particularly shocking for press freedom advocates and audiences who watched in real time as rescue workers and journalists, responding to an initial strike on the hospital, were bombarded a second time."
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Witkoff said Russian President Vladimir Putin offered a peace proposal to end the war with Ukraine that involves Russia taking over the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine is unlikely to accept that deal.
"It may not be something that the Ukrainians can take, but no one's ever made that kind of progress here, and it's because of his [Trump's] force of personality and his motivation to end the conflict and the death that we're at this, this place where we think the end is in sight," Witkoff told Fox News' "Special Report."
The Kremlin also has no interest in making concession to allow for the potential involvement of foreign forces in Ukraine, effectively ruling out a NATO-like security pact to ensure Ukraine's future safety.
The Hill's Colin Meyn reports:
"U.S. officials emerged from President Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month in Alaska touting a major concession: Moscow was willing to allow "NATO-like" security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a comprehensive peace deal. Ten days later, that commitment is looking empty, with Russia now demanding an effective veto over what those security guarantees would look like."
Trump's steep new tariffs on India to penalize the country for buying Russian oil took effect Wednesday.
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