Trump administration considering ‘alternative plans' after Gaza ceasefire talks fall apart
Steve Witkoff, now named President Trump's special envoy for peace missions, said the administration is considering alternative plans to secure the freedom of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the future governance of the territory.
'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,' Witkoff wrote in a post on the social media site X.
'We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza. 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.'
The Israeli government will review military plans in the event of Hamas's refusal to accept a deal, Israel's ambassador to the U.N. told reporters in Washington in early July.
Israeli officials have also backed Trump's call for Palestinians to leave the Gaza Strip. Trump in February called for the U.S. to take over Gaza and for Palestinians to be relocated, likely permanently. While Trump has called for rebuilding the strip, he has also shared an artificial intelligence-generated video showing Gaza as a resort destination and the president sipping cocktails and lying on the beach with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
'President Trump has come up with an innovative plan for the future of Gaza,' said David Mencer, spokesperson in the office of the Israeli Prime Minister, in a briefing with reporters on Wednesday.
'People that want to leave voluntarily, we make this clear, voluntarily, should be allowed to leave. There are countries which have already expressed their interest to take in Gazans so they can get away from the fighting.'
The U.S. announcement likely serves as a major blow to an already horrific humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, where death due to starvation is increasing amid chaotic and dangerous efforts to distribute food and aid. The failure of the talks also throws into question the fate of 20 living hostages and the bodies of 30 others still held by Hamas.
American and Israeli officials blame Hamas for stealing and profiting off aid entering the strip, after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel put Gaza in the crosshairs. The Israeli government said 895 soldiers have been killed over the course of the war.
The fighting has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants, and injured more than 130,000. Hamas said in a statement last week that 69 children have died from severe malnutrition.
On Monday, more than 30 countries issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the war and the release of the hostages, and criticized Israel's aid distribution as dangerous, fueling instability and depriving Gazans of human dignity.
In a briefing to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Khaled Khiari said the war had become 'a nightmare of historic proportions.'
The Hostages Families Forum, a grassroots organization advocating for a ceasefire and hostage release, urged Thursday for Trump to push harder for a deal.
'Another missed opportunity to bring all 50 hostages back would be inexcusable. It would be yet another moral, security, and diplomatic failure in an endless chain of failures,' the group said in a statement.
'President Trump, you've already brought 39 hostages home. The window is still open – please don't let it close. Your leadership can make the difference.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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