Efforts to achieve an Israel-Hamas ceasefire have intensified with Qatar’s return to negotiations, and President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has initiated diplomatic engagement with key regional figures to secure the release of hostages.

A source familiar with the discussions confirmed to Digital that Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in late November.

While these meetings aim to revitalize stalled Israel-Hamas talks, the extent of any progress remains uncertain.

“Both agreed a Gaza ceasefire is necessary before the Trump inauguration, allowing the new administration to focus on other regional stabilization priorities after a year of conflict and instability,” a source briefed on the talks stated.

Despite over a year of conflict and efforts to free 100 hostages—seven American, three still believed alive after 425 days in captivity—a U.S. official indicated Witkoff’s meetings served as a briefing rather than a concrete step towards advancing negotiations, as reported by Reuters on Thursday.

Digital was unable to immediately contact the Trump transition team or the White House for details. However, according to Reuters, the White House has kept the transition team informed, but they haven’t directly collaborated on the ceasefire negotiations.

Witkoff, a real estate agent with no prior diplomatic experience and business ties to Qatar and other regional nations, met with Netanyahu in Israel on November 23rd.

The following day, Israel’s Mossad director, David Barnea, met with the Qatari prime minister in Vienna—both key figures in the negotiations—to discuss “what was needed to reach an agreement.”

These meetings suggest Qatar has fully resumed its leading role in mediating a deal between Jerusalem and Hamas after temporarily suspending its involvement last month due to perceived lack of “good faith” from both parties.

Hamas withdrew from the talks after deeming them focused on appearances rather than genuine peace efforts.

Although senior Hamas negotiators left Doha in mid-November, the Hamas office remained open at the request of the U.S. and Israel, according to the Qatari prime minister’s recent statement.

“Hamas’s presence in Doha was fully transparent and coordinated, at the request of the U.S. and Israel,” Sheikh Mohammed stated, addressing criticism of the office’s operation.

He explained that maintaining communication through Doha facilitated hostage exchanges in 2023, followed by aid delivery in January 2024, and remains a vital “negotiation channel” for securing the remaining hostages’ release, a process he argued wouldn’t succeed through “military power.”

Trump threatened repercussions if the hostages weren’t released before his January 20, 2025 inauguration, though without specifying actions.

Sheikh Mohammed told a British news outlet that resolving the Gaza crisis before Trump’s inauguration requires “maximum pressure,” but Qatar is working with all parties towards a solution.