U.S. peace envoy Steve Witkoff plans meeting with Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya, sparking outrage over renewed American contact with the terror group.
A stunning New York Times report reveals that Steve Witkoff — the U.S. envoy for peace missions under President Donald Trump — is preparing to meet with senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, the terror group’s chief negotiator and a key orchestrator of the October 7, 2023 massacre that slaughtered civilians across southern Israel.
Two individuals familiar with Witkoff’s travel plans confirmed the potential meeting, signaling Washington’s ongoing willingness to talk directly with Hamas despite its designation by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization responsible for mass murder, kidnapping, and ongoing crimes against Israelis.
Sources emphasized the meeting is not yet finalized, and the timing remains fluid. But neither Witkoff’s office, Hamas officials, nor the White House offered any denial when approached for comment.
According to the report, Witkoff intends to press Hamas on maintaining the fragile Gaza ceasefire and on the continued hostage-prisoner exchange effort — an agreement that Hamas has repeatedly violated, including by withholding the bodies of murdered Israeli captives.
Witkoff has already met al-Hayya before, most notably in Sharm el-Sheikh ahead of the ceasefire deal, alongside Jared Kushner. That meeting alone drew heavy criticism, but Witkoff’s subsequent public comments intensified the backlash.
In a “60 Minutes” interview aired October 19, Witkoff disclosed that he had offered personal condolences to al-Hayya over the death of his son — a Hamas operative killed in an Israeli airstrike in Qatar.
“I told him that I had lost a son,” Witkoff said. “And that we were both members of a really bad club.”
Israeli and American critics argue that such emotional displays and diplomatic engagement risk granting Hamas unearned legitimacy while the terror group still holds Israeli hostages, rebuilds its networks, and continues exploiting ceasefire talks for leverage.
Witkoff is not alone. The Times notes that Adam Boehler, Trump’s former envoy for hostage affairs, also held multiple meetings with Hamas officials in Qatar last year — another move widely condemned for empowering a terrorist organization that aims to destroy Israel.
As Witkoff reportedly pushes ahead, the uproar is growing: Why should U.S. officials be meeting with the very architects of Israel’s darkest day?
