US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has postponed his expected visit to Israel, according to a report published Monday by Maariv.
Last week the envoy delayed his visit to the region due to US diplomatic efforts on Russia’s war with Ukraine, according to a source quoted last Tuesday by Axios.
Witkoff said last Wednesday that he might travel to the region this Sunday (March 2), depending upon the status of Phase 2 hostage release talks between Israel and Hamas.
US government sources quoted by the news outlet said the latest delay was caused by “technical reasons, due to scheduling difficulties and the need to address issues relating to the Russia-Ukraine war.”
White House officials claimed the holdup “has nothing to do with the stalemate in negotiations on the continuation of the ceasefire and the release of the hostages.”
However, senior Israeli officials told Maariv that Witkoff “will not come if there’s no progress in the negotiations; he will only come to close the deal. For now, this is not the case – there is no progress, and Hamas is not moving from its position.”
Hamas has refused to accept the Witkoff Framework that would extend the Phase 1 temporary ceasefire for the period of Ramadan and Passover, to include the release of half of the hostages, alive and deceased, with the remaining hostages, alive and deceased, to be freed if an agreement is reach on a permanent ceasefire.
Witkoff proposed the extension after realizing that at present there appears to be no possibility of bridging the gap between the positions of Israel and Hamas, and noting additional time was needed for talks on a permanent ceasefire.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message on Sunday that Israel accepted Witkoff’s plan to extend the temporary ceasefire by 50 days, “during that time we can discuss the conditions for a permanent ceasefire that will end the war in Gaza.”
So far, Hamas has rejected the Witkoff Framework, and “also put forward positions for a permanent ceasefire that are totally unacceptable,” Netanyahu noted.
In response, Israel decided to stop deliveries of goods and supplies into Gaza, which have continued daily over the past 42 days.
“We’ve done that because Hamas steals the supplies and prevents the people of Gaza from getting them. It uses these supplies to finance its terror machine, which is aimed directly at Israel and our civilians – and this we cannot accept,” Netanyahu emphasized, adding that Israel “will take further steps” if Hamas continues to hold the hostages.
