President Donald Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff held a rare, direct meeting with senior Hamas leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, a move that helped finalize the first phase of the Gaza peace deal and the hostages-for-prisoners exchange, according to Axios and other outlets. The encounter unfolded under the auspices of Qatari, Egyptian and Turkish mediators and followed Trump’s private authorization for his envoys to talk to Hamas if needed to close the agreement.

How The Backchannel Unfolded

Late on Wednesday, Qatari mediators approached the U.S. team at Witkoff’s villa, saying talks had hit a wall and proposing direct contact with Hamas. Minutes later, Kushner and Witkoff entered a nearby villa where Egyptian and Turkish intelligence chiefs, senior Qatari officials and four senior Hamas figures—led by Khalil al-Hayya—were gathered. The meeting lasted roughly 40–45 minutes.

Assurances That Broke The Deadlock

One sticking point was Hamas’ fear that Israel would resume the war after hostages were freed. Witkoff relayed a message that “you will be treated fairly” and that Washington stood behind all points of the peace plan, coupled with a push to “bring people home on both sides of the border,” according to detailed accounts of the meeting. Soon after, mediators informed the U.S. side: “We have a deal.”

Why It Matters Now

Reports indicate the face-to-face engagement was pivotal in converting tentative understandings into a signed framework and moving the ceasefire into effect, alongside a large prisoner-exchange track. A U.S. official separately told CBS News the direct meeting “sealed the peace deal.”

What’s Next

With the first phase active, attention turns to implementation and oversight by the mediator bloc—Qatar, Egypt and Türkiye—and to whether the parties sustain the pause and follow-on steps mapped in the plan. Regional leaders were convening in Sharm el-Sheikh on 13 October to press next-phase arrangements.