Trump Witkoff's Envoy Visits Europe To Discuss Gaza's Armistice

JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will travel to Europe this week to attend a meeting on Israel's war in Gaza and various other issues. Witkoff will continue to push for a ceasefire in the Palestinian territories.

Reported by Reuters on Wednesday, July 23, Axios reported Witkoff is expected to leave for Rome on Wednesday and arrives on Thursday to meet with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and senior Qatar envoy.

If adequate progress is achieved, Witkoff will travel from Roma to Doha towards the weekend to secure the deal, the news website reported, citing sources from the US and Israel.

Talks on a 60-day ceasefire proposal in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas are being mediated by Qatar and Egypt with Washington's support. Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave due to the Israeli military offensive, an ally of the US, continues to escalate.

The ongoing war in Gaza so far has resulted in two ceasefires, the latest ending after two months when Israeli attacks killed more than 400 Palestinians on March 18.

The latest blood spill in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and holding about 250 people hostage, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's next military attack has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. The attack also caused a crisis of hunger, causing all Gazans to flee, and sparked allegations of genocide in the International Court and war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the allegations.