Witkoff assisted aides of former U.S. President Joe Biden in mediating the ceasefire and prisoner release agreement in Gaza shortly before Trump took office in January. However, the ceasefire was violated by Israel in March when the country launched a wave of sudden bomb attacks across the region.

President Donald Trump said he thought a ceasefire in Gaza could be “close,” perhaps in the next week. “I just spoke with some of the people involved. It’s a terrible situation that’s going,” the president told reporters at the White House on Friday afternoon.