Donald Trump to chair meeting on Gaza as US says it expects ‘to settle this before the end of this year’ – Middle East crisis live

US special envoy Steve Witkoff says ‘we think we’re going to settle this one way or another’ as Marco Rubio also prepares to meet Gideon Saar

US special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Tuesday that president Donald Trump would chair a meeting on Gaza at the White House on Wednesday and added that Washington expected Israel’s war in the Palestinian territory to be settled by the end of the year, Reuters reports.

The US state department separately said secretary of state Marco Rubio will meet Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar in Washington on Wednesday, which is expected to take place at 3.15pm ET (7.15pm UK time).

When asked on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” show if there is a postwar plan for Gaza, Witkoff said:

Yes, we’ve got a large meeting in the White House tomorrow, chaired by the president, and it’s a very comprehensive plan we’re putting together on the next day.