Kushner and Witkoff Say They Felt 'Betrayed' by Israeli Strike During Gaza Ceasefire Talks

In the tense final hours of brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s key negotiators, faced a critical moment that nearly derailed the entire deal. According to their exclusive interview on "60 Minutes," the two men described feeling "a little bit betrayed" by an Israeli airstrike on Qatar during the delicate peace talks.

"We were very close to getting this done, and then we got word that the Israelis had struck a target in Qatar," Witkoff recalled. "There was a moment where we looked at each other and thought, 'Is this thing going to collapse?'"

Kushner, the former White House senior advisor, echoed the sentiment, explaining that the strike came at the worst possible time. "We were in the final stages of the negotiations," he said. "To have something like that happen, it created a lot of tension. We felt a little bit betrayed in that moment."

The revelation offers a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the high-stakes diplomacy that led to the recent Gaza ceasefire. Kushner and Witkoff, both real estate moguls turned presidential envoys, were tasked with a monumental challenge: bridging the gap between long-time adversaries in a conflict with deep historical roots.

Despite the setback, the dealmakers managed to navigate the crisis, ultimately securing an agreement that brought a temporary halt to the violence. Their story underscores the fragile and often unpredictable nature of peace negotiations, where a single action can undo weeks of delicate diplomacy.

"You have to be prepared for anything," Witkoff said of the experience. "And you have to be able to rebuild trust, even when it feels like it’s been broken."

The interview provides a human perspective on the complex geopolitical puzzle that the two men worked tirelessly to solve, reminding us that even in the world of high-level diplomacy, personal feelings and relationships play a crucial role.