Kirill Dmitriev, Special Envoy of the President of Russia for investment and economic cooperation, stated on Saturday that US Presidential Envoy Steven Witkoff played a central role in shaping former US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
“President Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff was the key driving force behind Trump’s Gaza peace plan — built for lasting Middle East peace. Legacy media, led by the NYT, tried to undermine Witkoff’s work — and in doing so, to undermine peace itself,” Dmitriev wrote on X.
Earlier, Trump welcomed Hamas’ announcement to release all hostages held in Gaza, describing it as “a big day” and expressing hope that the hostages would soon return to their families. In a video address, he said, “I just want to let you know that this is a very special day. In many ways, it is unprecedented… We’re very close to achieving that. We’ll see how it all turns out.”
On Truth Social, Trump urged Israel to “immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the hostages out safely and quickly,” and expressed confidence that Hamas was “ready for a lasting PEACE.”
Hamas confirmed its plans to free all Israeli hostages and return the bodies of captives. In a statement on Telegram, the group affirmed its readiness to engage in negotiations with mediators to finalize the agreement and to hand over Gaza’s administration to a “Palestinian body of independent technocrats,” supported by Palestinian national consensus as well as Arab and Islamic states.
Around 48 people remain in captivity, with 20 believed to be still alive. Hamas’ announcement followed Trump’s ultimatum, in which he warned that failure to sign the Gaza peace plan by Sunday evening would result in unprecedented consequences for the group.
Trump’s 20-point peace plan proposes the establishment of a temporary technocratic government in Gaza, with Israel pledging not to annex the Strip and ensuring residents are not forcibly displaced. The plan calls for an immediate ceasefire if accepted, with all captives, living and deceased, returned within 72 hours.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government and security agencies have begun preparations to implement the first phase of the plan. The Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) convened a special situation assessment, emphasizing troop safety while allocating all necessary resources to the Southern Command.
The meeting was attended by key IDF officials, including the Deputy Chief of Staff, heads of operations, intelligence, and planning directorates, as well as commanders of the Southern Command and Air Force. The IDF highlighted the importance of maintaining high alertness and rapid response capabilities to neutralize any potential threats during the operation.
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