Middle East Eye: The US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff intends to resign from the Trump administration

The Middle East Eye website revealed that US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff intends to resign from the Trump administration and return to the world of real estate.

The potential decision comes after a long period of intense activity in the talks, which led to a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

Steve Witkoff’s potential retirement raises questions about the extent of US involvement in the next stages of President Trump’s peace plan.

The crisis may be exacerbated by Witkoff’s resignation, given the numerous outstanding issues, including the disarmament of Hamas, the reconstruction of Gaza, and the formation of a technocratic Palestinian government.

Trump has stated that he will personally oversee the “Peace Council” responsible for implementing the plan.

However, doubts are being raised among US and Arab officials about whether he will continue his active involvement, especially after the peace summit held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh.

Witkoff, a longtime Trump associate and New York businessman with an estimated net worth of $2 billion, is considered a pivotal figure in brokering the ceasefire agreement.

Last week, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held an unusual direct meeting with senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya, and the two (al Hayya and Witkoff) shared their dramatic experience of losing their son.

While al Hayya lost his son in an Israeli attempt to target him personally and the movement’s leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha, Witkoff’s son (Andrew) died of a drug overdose at the age of twenty-two.

During their face-to-face meeting at a villa in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheikh, Witkoff told Beard that he understood the pain of a grieving father, noting that this was one of his primary motivations for ending the war.

Commenting on Witkoff’s expected retirement, Dr. Ariel Admoni, a senior researcher at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said, “Qatar and the mediators worked closely with Witkoff throughout the war”.

He added, “The departure of Witkoff, who was one of the main architects of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, now leaves an open question: to what extent the United States will continue to participate in overseeing the implementation of the agreement and in the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip”.