US envoy Witkoff says Hamas ‘duped’ him, blames renewed Gaza attacks on Hamas’ reneging on agreement

Peloni:  Recall that in a recent interview, Witkof confessed to having never actually spoken to Hamas, and that he negotiated thru the Qatari’s, even remarking that this made it essential to be able to trust the Qatari’s to mediate with Hamas.  It would of course never occur to the Qatari-enamored Witkof that any deception which took place in his negotiations emanated from the inappropriate trust which he claimed to have for the Hamas allied Qataris who finance, support, and protect Hamas.   Such duplicity is beyond contempt, and beyond believability.

By Christine Douglass-Williams | Mar 24, 2025

Secretary Marco Rubio, with from left, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, National Security Advisor Mosaad bin Mohammad al-Aiban, the Russian president’s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend a meeting together at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 18, 2025. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett)

Whether it be Hamas, Iran, or al-Jolani in Syria (who is the latest jihadist to dupe the EU), jihadists cannot be trusted in any deals. They inevitably break them.

Jihadists are focussed on one mission: the conquest and subjugation of the infidel. In the case of Hamas, obliterating Israel by any means is the goal. Israel negotiated with Hamas for years, and even believed that the group was willing to live in peace with Israel, respecting the Jewish state’s policies of deterrence. Hamas manipulated the process, with Iran’s backing and Qatari money; then it plotted October 7 and is now working hard at globalizing the intifada.

It is bewildering that Western leaders continuously allow themselves to be duped by jihadists.

Witkoff now states: “Hamas had every opportunity to demilitarize and accept the bridging proposal, but ‘they elected not to.’” He went on to say of Iran that the regime “cannot gain access to a nuclear weapon….It cannot happen, and it will not happen.”

But these are merely Witkoff’s statements, not plans of action. Yet.

“US special envoy Witkoff says Hamas ‘duped’ him as he blames renewed attack in Gaza on militant group,” by Prajvi Mathur, WION, March 23, 2025:

US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on Sunday (Mar 23) that he may have been “duped” by Hamas as he initially believed the Palestinian militant group agreed to his bridge proposal to extend the ceasefire in Gaza, only for it to reject the “acceptable deal”.

“I thought we had an acceptable deal. I even thought we had an approval from Hamas. Maybe that’s just me getting duped. I thought we were there, and evidently we weren’t,” Witkoff told Fox News on Sunday (Mar 23).

‘Bridge proposal’

Witkoff’s “bridge” proposal, which he presented his bridge proposal on his Doha on March 12, aimed to extend the ceasefire through April 19 and release five living Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. This would allow time for negotiations on a permanent cessation of fighting. While Israel accepted the proposal, it said that it would have freed 11 living hostages.

Hamas, on the other hand, insisted on staying on the original terms of the deal, according to which the second phase of the truce was supposed to begin in March. However, Israel refused talks on specific terms of phase two as it requires it to fully withdraw from Gaza and bring the war to an end permanently.…