By: Fern Sidman

In a significant pivot from earlier diplomatic efforts, the Trump administration is now pressing for a single, sweeping ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, aimed at concluding the war in Gaza and securing the release of all remaining hostages in one consolidated deal. This marks a departure from the piecemeal arrangements that characterized previous negotiations, most notably those in November 2023 and January 2025.

According to a report on Wednesday at World Israel News, the administration’s new stance was revealed this week in leaked audio recordings of White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who was heard speaking candidly with families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The recordings, first published by Yedioth Ahronoth, offer the most detailed public insight yet into the Trump administration’s behind-the-scenes strategy for ending the nearly yearlong conflict.

“We have to shift this negotiation to all or nothing,” Witkoff is heard saying in the recording. “Everybody comes home.”

The envoy’s remarks reflect a growing sense within the White House that previous phased agreements—while yielding limited humanitarian gains and small-scale hostage releases—have failed to produce lasting stability or significantly reduce the threat posed by Hamas.

“No piecemeal deals. That doesn’t work,” Witkoff told the relatives of the captives. “We have a plan around it,” he added, though he did not elaborate on the details of the proposed framework.

World Israel News has reported extensively on the hostages believed to remain in Gaza. According to Israeli intelligence assessments cited by the outlet, of the approximately 50 captives still unaccounted for, roughly 20 are thought to be alive. The remaining 30 are presumed dead, either killed during their captivity or having succumbed to injuries sustained during the October 7 massacre or the subsequent war.

The Trump administration’s move comes as Israeli leadership also appears to be rethinking its approach to negotiations. As reported by World Israel News, Israel had until recently supported further interim agreements, such as the one proposed during Doha-based negotiations that envisioned a two-month ceasefire in exchange for staged releases of a limited number of hostages.

Under that proposal, Israel would have agreed to a temporary cessation of hostilities during which ten living hostages and a number of deceased captives would be returned in multiple phases. The phased arrangement—supported in part by international mediators—has now been superseded by a push for a broader, more definitive resolution.

According to a report in The New York Times, the Israeli government has indicated its willingness to abandon the staged-release model and pursue a comprehensive package in line with the Trump administration’s preference. Senior officials, both American and Israeli, now appear to share a belief that only a full cessation of hostilities and the release of all hostages can offer a sustainable exit from the current impasse.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government is moving ahead with preparations for a potential escalation in Gaza. The World Israel News report confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has summoned the security cabinet for a special session on Thursday to deliberate on expanded military operations in the enclave.

The deliberations come amid growing speculation that the cabinet will authorize the full military occupation of Gaza—a move with far-reaching implications for regional stability and Israeli-Palestinian relations.

Sources familiar with the matter told World Israel News that Israel’s war cabinet has been presented with intelligence indicating Hamas’s continued ability to regroup and rearm in parts of Gaza where IDF forces have already withdrawn or scaled back operations. Military officials have reportedly urged the government to consider a more comprehensive campaign, including long-term control over key urban and strategic areas.

If approved, such a strategy would mark the most significant ground expansion since the initial offensive launched in the wake of Hamas’s October 7 cross-border assault on southern Israel, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were brutally and sadistically massacred and more than 250 were taken into captivity in Gaza.

For families of the hostages, the shift to an “all or nothing” negotiation strategy represents both hope and risk. Several relatives present during Witkoff’s call expressed cautious optimism, though acknowledged that such a sweeping deal would require Hamas to capitulate in a manner it has so far resisted.

According to the information provided in the World Israel News report, senior Hamas figures have previously indicated a willingness to negotiate over partial releases and temporary ceasefires, but have consistently rejected comprehensive agreements that would permanently end hostilities and dismantle their control over Gaza.

The Trump administration appears to be calculating that by removing the possibility of future phased agreements, Hamas will face increased internal and external pressure to conclude a comprehensive deal—particularly if the threat of a full-scale Israeli re-occupation is realized.

At the same time, the administration has remained tight-lipped about the mechanisms by which such a deal might be achieved. While Witkoff referenced a White House-backed plan, World Israel News reported that no draft of a formal agreement has been publicly shared with mediators in Qatar or Egypt, nor with international stakeholders such as the United Nations or the European Union.

Regional capitals, especially Doha and Cairo, have long played pivotal roles in mediating previous rounds of negotiations. As World Israel News has reported in recent months, Qatar hosted multiple rounds of indirect talks between Israeli and Hamas representatives, while Egypt facilitated humanitarian corridors and prisoner exchanges during earlier ceasefires.

It remains to be seen how those mediators will respond to the Trump administration’s insistence on an “all or nothing” model. Diplomats involved in the prior rounds have frequently voiced concern that comprehensive deals, while ideal in theory, often collapse under the weight of irreconcilable demands on both sides.

Nonetheless, administration officials appear convinced that the moment is ripe for such a breakthrough. With Hamas significantly weakened after nearly a year of sustained Israeli military pressure, and with growing international fatigue over recurring ceasefires that yield limited results, a decisive end to the war may now be within reach.

The Trump administration’s intensified push for a comprehensive resolution may also reflect broader political calculations. With a contentious U.S. presidential election cycle underway, foreign policy achievements—particularly in the volatile Middle East—could offer the incumbent administration a significant diplomatic victory.

As World Israel News noted in a recent analysis, the administration has invested considerable political capital in shaping the outcome of the Israel–Gaza conflict. Senior White House officials, including Steve Witkoff, have made frequent visits to Israel and met regularly with defense, intelligence, and diplomatic figures from across the region.

In addition to securing the release of American hostages believed to be held in Gaza, U.S. officials are also focused on restoring long-term deterrence against Hamas and limiting Iran’s influence via its regional proxies. A comprehensive agreement could also potentially open the door to resumed normalization efforts between Israel and Arab states—negotiations that have largely stalled amid the current conflict.

With the Israeli security cabinet set to meet and diplomatic channels intensifying, the coming days may prove decisive. Whether Hamas will respond to the “all or nothing” offer—and whether Israel will proceed with a full military occupation of Gaza—remains uncertain.

What is clear is that the Trump administration has chosen to pivot sharply from earlier strategies of incrementalism. The success or failure of this approach will likely define the next phase of the conflict—and could reshape the geopolitical architecture of the region for years to come.

For now, families of the hostages, Israeli defense planners, and international observers are watching closely, awaiting the next move in a conflict that has already redefined the stakes of diplomacy in the Middle East.