Witkoff-Hayyeh meeting reportedly canceled under Israeli pressure

BEIRUT — The meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Ankara between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Hamas negotiator in the Gaza Strip, Khalil Hayyeh, was reportedly canceled due to direct pressure from Israel, Palestinian sources told the pan-Arab channel Al-Mayadeen.

The cancellation comes as the first phase of President Donald Trump's peace plan draws to a close, while the second phase faces numerous obstacles, including the disarmament of the Islamist movement, the deployment of an international stabilization force, and the conditions for the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

According to Al-Mayadeen, this decision follows growing discontent within Israeli security institutions after the planned meeting became public.

Meanwhile, Israeli website Walla reported that Israeli security services had expressed "strong anger," believing that the meeting would amount to recognition of Hamas' status and complicate Israeli negotiations with the Palestinian movement.

Palestinian affairs expert Hani al-Dali told Al-Mayadeen on Tuesday that the meeting was set for Wednesday in Ankara, confirming an earlier report by the New York Times last Friday, without specifying the date. According to the American outlet, the discussion was to focus on the cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.

A previous meeting between Witkoff and Hayyeh took place last October in Sharm al-Sheikh, moments before the signing of the cease-fire agreement, in the presence of Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law.

In an interview aired in October on CBS as part of the show "60 Minutes," Witkoff said he offered his condolences to the Palestinian official for the death of his son in an Israeli attack in Qatar.