Hostage

US negotiators believe there is a "genuine" chance for progress in Qatar talks, hostage families forum says

From CNN's Dana Karni, Tamar Michaelis, Mostafa Salem and Alex Marquardt

Steve Witkoff, the US envoy for the Middle East, said he believes there is a “genuine” chance for progress in hostage talks in the Qatari capital Doha, the Israeli Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Doha talks will coincide with US President Donald Trump’s tour of the Middle East. He is expected to arrive in Qatar on Wednesday.

Former hostages and family members of some still being held in Gaza are heading to Doha on Tuesday, a person familiar with their plans told CNN. They are expected to meet with senior American officials in the Qatari capital Wednesday.

There’s a hope they will be able to see Trump as well but plans are in flux and still being finalized, the person said. It’s a small group of about half a dozen individuals, both American and Israeli.

Witkoff and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler met hostage families for two hours in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, where they emphasized their “personal commitment” to release the remaining 58 hostages held in Gaza, the forum said.

According to the forum, Witkoff said he would prefer to see a diplomatic solution to bring the hostages home, and that most “captivity survivors have been released through diplomatic means.”

“He assured the families that if he and Boehler didn’t believe there was a genuine chance for progress in negotiations, they wouldn’t be making the trip to Doha,” the forum said.

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed a negotiating team to leave for talks in Qatar, but he made clear that he is committed to the Witkoff proposal, which would see the release of half the hostages in return for a temporary ceasefire. The proposal does not guarantee an end to the war.

This post has been updated with more reporting on the hostage talks.