Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy, has told Fox News that Gaza ceasefire’s “phase two is a little bit more complicated than phase one, but phase two is absolutely going to begin”, Al Jazeera reports.

He also told Israel’s Channel 12 later in the day that Trump “wants to see the second phase of it results in hostages being released and lives being saved, and it can lead to peace”, Al Jazeera added.

Witkoff added that he spoke “to the Israelis, the Qataris, and the Egyptians this morning about setting forth a schedule pursuant to which we would – in a very substantive way – begin second-phase talks”.

“Everybody is receptive to that, so hopefully, that’s what’s going to be happening this week”.