On Tuesday, August 26, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that Trump will host a high-level meeting at the White House on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, to discuss a “comprehensive plan” for post-war Gaza, as stated in a Fox News interview (Web:0, Web:5, Web:23). Witkoff described the plan as “robust” and reflective of Trump’s “humanitarian motives” but provided no specifics, noting it addresses the “day after” Israel’s war in Gaza, which began in October 2023 following Hamas’s attack that killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians (Web:5, Web:15). Israel’s retaliatory offensive has resulted in at least 62,819 Palestinian deaths, predominantly civilians, per Gaza’s health ministry figures deemed reliable by the UN (Web:5, Web:19).
The announcement follows Trump’s controversial February 2025 proposal for the U.S. to “take over” Gaza, displace its 2.2 million residents, and transform it into the “Riviera of the Middle East,” a plan endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but widely condemned by European and Arab states as unrealistic and unjust (Web:0, Web:18). Critics, including Palestinian advocates and human rights groups, labeled it ethnic cleansing, while Egypt and Jordan rejected hosting displaced Palestinians (Web:8, Web:12). Witkoff also noted ongoing ceasefire talks, with Hamas signaling openness to a settlement under Israeli pressure, though the U.S. opposes partial hostage deals (Web:4, Web:23). X posts from @FoxNews (August 25, 2025) highlighted the upcoming meeting, while @Osint613 (August 18, 2025) noted tensions over a recent ceasefire proposal (Post:4). The meeting, involving senior U.S. officials and allies, aims to outline Gaza’s future amid global scrutiny (Web:0).
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