Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Wednesday abolished the country’s constitution and declared himself president during a meeting of armed factions in Damascus.

As both United States President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump try to take credit for Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal in Gaza, a relatively unknown political newcomer in Trump’s incoming team has emerged as a key figure in sealing the deal.

This trip comes as negotiations for the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas are set to begin, with the US envoy to the Middle East expressing optimism going forward

Steve Witkoff helped negotiate the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. His visit to Gaza on Wednesday was the first by a senior U.S. official in more than a decade.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Wednesday before meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as efforts to solidify a ceasefire and advance regional diplomacy continue. His visit,

US President Donald Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli government officials on Thursday as well as with four IDF soldiers who were released from Hamas captivity last week, as part of his visit to Israel and Gaza over the last few days.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff told Axios in an interview at the end of his trip to the Middle East that rebuilding Gaza could take between 10 and 15 years. Why it matters: The Trump administration wants to see the ceasefire continue and Gaza stabilized so it can move forward with its ambitious plans for the Middle East,

Israel and Hamas are set to carry out their third exchange of hostages and prisoners on Thursday as part of a ceasefire agreement that has halted fighting in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is due to release three Israelis and five Thai citizens. Israel is releasing 110 Palestinian prisoners.

Israel is scheduled to free 110 Palestinians, including 30 children, from its prisons, after Hamas said it had released three Israelis and five Thai nationals held hostage in Gaza since October 7, 2023.

The Abraham Accords agreement is another significant accomplishment for Trump. It signaled a new approach to the Middle East which ended the false belief that the failure of Israel to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority was the ultimate cause of discord and war in the Middle East.