US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is slated to meet Wednesday in Istanbul with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya to discuss efforts to uphold the current ceasefire in Gaza, an Arab diplomat tells The Times of Israel.

This marks Witkoff�s second sit-down with al-Hayya. The first came on October 9 in Egypt, when Witkoff � alongside Trump adviser Jared Kushner � met with Hamas�s ceasefire negotiation team just hours before the agreement was finalized.

Witkoff has since asserted that Hamas leaders pledged during that meeting to disarm, a claim the terror group has publicly denied.

The upcoming talks underscore Washington�s renewed push to keep direct communication channels open with Hamas, after years of relying on mediators including Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)