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The US is once again turning to Qatar as its preferred diplomatic middleman. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff sat down with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Miami on December 19, 2025, to push forward negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, a deal that has been stuck in a frustrating holding pattern as both Israel and Hamas drag their feet.
The meeting comes at a precarious moment for US foreign policy in the Middle East. Earlier US-Iran nuclear talks, in which Witkoff played a central role, collapsed following a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran in February 2026, an escalation that triggered the broader conflict now dominating the region’s security landscape.
What’s actually on the table
The Gaza ceasefire deal’s second phase involves a set of demands that neither side seems eager to fulfill. Hamas is required to disarm and accept the presence of an International Stabilization Force. Israel, for its part, must reopen the Rafah crossing and withdraw its military forces from the territory.
The diplomatic timeline is tightening
The Miami meeting was strategically timed. It took place just ten days before a high-profile summit between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, scheduled for December 29, 2025, where the Gaza plan was expected to be a central topic of discussion.
Witkoff’s role in all of this has been substantial. As Special Envoy, he has been the administration’s point person on some of the most consequential and volatile negotiations in the region. His portfolio has included the now-defunct Iran nuclear talks and the ongoing, painstaking effort to broker a durable ceasefire in Gaza.
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