Middle East Eye: Witkoff leaves Trump administration, moves to refocus on business

US envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly planning to step back from the Trump administration to refocus on his business.

He played a central role in negotiating the Gaza ceasefire, according to two sources familiar with the matter, quoted by Middle East Eye.

Both sources, who requested anonymity due to the private nature of the discussions, said Witkoff intends to leave the administration following a "gruelling" period of shuttle diplomacy across the Middle East.

His withdrawal could raise questions about the level of US engagement in the next phases of President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, which broadly calls for measures ranging from Hamas’s disarmament to Gaza’s reconstruction and the formation of a Palestinian technocratic government.

Trump has stated he will chair a so-called "board of peace" to oversee Gaza. However, US and Arab diplomats have expressed doubts about how actively he will enforce the ceasefire terms, especially following the celebratory conclusion of his peace summit in Egypt’s Red Sea resort, Sharm el-Sheikh.

During a brief meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on the sidelines of the summit on October 13, 2025, Witkoff indicated that he would remain involved in the next stages, particularly in Gaza’s reconstruction.

By Jeyhun Aghazada