President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, highlighted the recent Gaza ceasefire deal during a rally in Washington, DC. He shared that the first three hostages had been released by Hamas and its allies, with more to follow in the coming weeks. The freed hostages were identified as Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari.
Witkoff credited President Trump for his role in facilitating the release, emphasizing the collaborative efforts of both the Trump and Biden teams in negotiating the deal. A senior Biden administration official acknowledged the unprecedented cooperation between the two teams, which was made possible by a shared interest in seizing an opportunity following Trump’s victory.
