White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet senior Israeli and Qatari officials in Italy on July 24 in a push to finalise a long-awaited ceasefire and hostage-release agreement concerning Gaza, diplomatic sources have confirmed, as reported by Axios.

The meeting comes after several weeks of indirect talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, between Hamas and Israel, which have focused on ironing out the remaining obstacles to a proposed 60-day truce. Among the central issues still under discussion are the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the sequencing of hostages to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

According to US officials, Qatari mediators have been pressing Hamas to refrain from revisiting previously settled matters. Hamas was reported to have delivered its formal response on July 22. The decision by Witkoff to step in personally from Europe is being interpreted as a sign that a breakthrough could be imminent.

Witkoff travelled to Europe on July 23, arriving in Olbia, Sardinia. The exact location of the meeting has been reported as either Rome or Sardinia, where he is expected to convene with Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and a high-level Qatari representative, potentially Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

Israeli Channel 12 quoted a source familiar with the negotiations as saying that “by tonight or tomorrow, we will know whether we are heading toward a final agreement.”

The Israeli official added: “If Hamas’s response is serious, then Dermer will meet with Witkoff within the next 48 hours.”

Meanwhile, the newspaper Israel Hayom reported that the Israeli leadership had not yet received an official reply from Hamas regarding the latest proposal on the hostage deal.

However, the paper noted, “Israel understands that Hamas has conveyed a response to the mediators that did not satisfy them. At present, the mediators are awaiting an updated reply from Hamas.”

The trilateral talks follow a similar meeting held at the White House earlier this month, which reportedly made significant headway on contentious issues, including Israeli military positioning within Gaza.

Suppose sufficient progress is made during the discussions in Italy. In that case, Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha shortly, where he aims to finalise the ceasefire framework and secure commitments from all parties involved.

Israel is reportedly insisting on a buffer zone depth of no less than 1,200 metres, while Hamas is demanding a limit of 800 metres. Sources close to the negotiations believe that while the dispute is complex, it remains resolvable.

Under the current Israeli proposal, 125 prisoners serving life sentences would be released, along with more than 1,100 others detained after October 7.

Even before Witkoff’s arrival, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a late-night security assessment with his negotiating team currently in Doha.

An Israeli official was quoted as saying, “Hamas’s response will show us not only the remaining gaps but also their true willingness to move forward.”

Israel has yet to receive an official reply from Hamas, but according to assessments by intermediary parties, the response is expected to be positive – though it may include conditions that necessitate further negotiation.

Mediators believe Hamas may push for further changes to the deployment map of Israeli forces during the ceasefire period, as well as revisions to the list and categories of prisoners to be released.

An Israeli source added, “There are still unresolved issues concerning humanitarian aid as well, but the overall atmosphere is positive. More time is needed to finalise the agreements.”

Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate. A joint assessment by UN agencies and humanitarian organisations warns of worsening malnutrition and the growing risk of widespread starvation. More than 30,000 children are reported to be suffering from acute malnutrition as of July, adding urgency to the ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has conducted a military campaign in Gaza that numerous human rights organisations and international observers have characterised as genocidal. The offensive has involved large-scale killing, destruction, enforced displacement, and the use of starvation as a weapon – carried out in defiance of global appeals and binding orders from the International Court of Justice to cease hostilities.

As of late July 2025, official figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry report that more than 59,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 142,000 injured since the outbreak of hostilities on October 7, 2023. These numbers reflect the devastating human toll of the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza, with health officials and humanitarian organisations warning that the majority of the victims are women and children.