As Israel mourns the Bibas children, a real estate tycoon is making unexpected ceasefire headway

In the past week, significant progress has been made in the stage one implementation of the ceasefire deal, with the expected early release on Saturday of the final six living hostages slated for release under Phase One.

The releases come with a shadow of deep grief. The bodies of of four slain hostages, Shiri Bibas and her two young sons, Ariel and Kfir, as well as Oded Lifshitz, are expected to be returned today (Thursday). As the youngest hostages Kfir, only eight months old when kidnapped, and his brother Ariel, taken hostage aged four, have become a symbol of the worst horrors of October 7.

Hamas' willingness to accelerate the release of the remaining hostages suggests it received something in return. It is likely that Hamas secretly secured more far-reaching promises regarding the continuation of negotiations, notes Amos Harel, in Haaretz.

The progress has been attributed to President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.

According to Chaim Levinson, also in Haaretz, an interview Witkoff gave on Sunday to Fox News prompted Netanyahu to end his refusal to move to phase two of the ceasefire deal. This breakthrough paved the way for negotiations and the early release of the hostages, including the bodies of Shiri, Ariel, Kfir Bibas, and Oded Lifshitz.

In his Fox News interview, Witkoff stated, “Phase two is a little more complicated than phase one. But phase two is absolutely going to begin.” He added that he had spoken that morning with Netanyahu, the Qatari prime minister, and the director of Egyptian intelligence. “We had very, very productive and constructive calls this morning about the sequencing of [Stage] two, setting forth positions on both sides so we can understand … where we are today, and then continuing talks this week at a location to be determined so that we can figure out how we get to the end of [Stage] two successfully.”

Witkoff noted that stage two would include the release of living hostages, such as Edan Alexander, as well as the return of bodies so families could properly mourn. Following that interview, Netanyahu issued two press statements 40 minutes apart. The first stated that the security cabinet would convene to discuss the second stage of the deal before further negotiations. However, 40 minutes later, a corrected statement—reportedly at Witkoff’s request—announced that the negotiating team would head to Cairo to continue implementing the first phase of the deal.

Witkoff’s achievements in just one month are remarkable. Last month, he played a key role in persuading Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire-and-hostages deal with Hamas. This week, he facilitated serious negotiations for phase two, and his expanding portfolio now includes Trump’s most significant geopolitical challenge—negotiating a deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine as part of a controversial reset of U.S. foreign policy.

Witkoff is the only person in the US administration who is immune to Netanyahu’s charm, writes Levinson. “It doesn’t interest him. He is interested in business only.”

Another associate described Witkoff to Axios as “something of a velvet glove when it comes to negotiating—smooth and to the point.” Israeli officials who worked with him on the Gaza ceasefire deal described him as energetic and informal. Witkoff even attended some negotiation sessions in Doha wearing sweatpants, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. “His energy was a key factor that led to the deal,” an Israeli official said.

Witkoff, 67, is the son of a women’s coat manufacturer and grew up in the Bronx, New York. He is married with three sons. Tragically, his youngest son, Andrew, died in 2011 of an opioid overdose at just 22 years old. Originally trained as a lawyer, Witkoff moved into real estate in the 1980s, starting his business career by purchasing old apartment buildings in Harlem and the Bronx. He has since risen to the top of the real estate industry in New York and Florida, securing himself an influential place in Donald Trump's inner circle.

The two met in 1986 when Witkoff was working as a lawyer representing Trump at his firm. Witkoff recalls their friendship beginning over a sandwich—after working on a deal together, he met Trump at a deli, where Trump was out of cash, so Witkoff bought him a ham and Swiss cheese sandwich. Over the years, their friendship only deepened. Witkoff praised Trump’s loyalty after his son’s death in 2011, stating in his speech at this year’s Republican National Convention that “Trump’s presence brought real comfort in a dark hour.” He called Trump “the kindest and most compassionate person I’ve ever met.”

Today, Witkoff is considered one of Trump's closest and most loyal friends, accompanying him on his path back to power. Unlike many longtime associates, Witkoff did not abandon Trump after the January 6 Capitol riot—a stance that resonated with the former president.

The appointment of a real estate businessman rather than an experienced diplomat highlights Trump’s approach to the Middle East, viewing the crisis as akin to negotiating a complex real estate deal. The Wall Street Journal reports that those close to Witkoff say he shares this perspective, seeing the situation as “one huge real estate deal.”

Insiders suggest that choosing someone so close to Trump ensures continuity with the approach of his predecessor as Middle East envoy, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Even Trump’s ambitious plans for the Gaza Strip are framed as a real estate project. The president has spoken of “taking ownership” of the Strip and transforming it into “the Riviera of the Middle East.” “We’ll remove the destroyed buildings and create economic development that will provide an unlimited number of jobs and housing for the region’s residents,” Trump said.

Although Witkoff has no formal diplomatic training, his business relationships in the region are seen as an asset. Last year, he sold Manhattan’s Park Lane Hotel to the Qatari Investment Authority, the country’s sovereign wealth fund, for $623 million, with Abu Dhabi’s investment fund also involved. “His negotiating style was never adversarial,” said Don Peebles, a well-known developer who attended a Mar-a-Lago wedding, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “Witkoff is not the kind of negotiator who wants to see blood on the floor before getting the deal done.”

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Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, Oded Lifshitz named as the slain hostages to return Thursday (Times of Israel)

U.S. pressure speeds hostage release as Trump pushes Netanyahu to Gaza cease-fire's next stage (Amos Harel, Haaretz)

Trump vowed to unleash hell in Gaza. His Mideast envoy insists the ceasefire will move forward (The Forward)

Blindsided by Trump's Mideast Envoy, Netanyahu rushes to announce stage 2 talks (Chaim Levinson, Haaretz)

Steve Witkoff on Ukraine, Russia peace talks: 'The beginning here is trust building' (Fox News)

How a real estate mogul became Trump’s Middle East point man (The Wall Street Journal, Paywall)

How Trump's dealmaker is shaping U.S. foreign policy (Axios)