Special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Jan. 15 that President Donald Trump was visibly emotional when the Israeli hostages, who were released by Hamas following the cease-fire in Gaza, visited the White House last year.

Witkoff recalled how Trump reacted when the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages, who were released by Hamas in October 2025, visited the White House, and shared what the president said to him.

“When we got the 20 hostages home, the last 20, and their families came to the White House, the president pulled me aside. I saw tears. He doesn’t like anyone to see him in tears,” Witkoff said.

“And he said to me, ‘This is the greatest day I’ve ever had in the White House.’”

Witkoff said his work is “the greatest blessing” of his life, noting that it helped him find meaning in the death of his son Andrew, who died from a drug overdose in 2011.

“I got to meet these incredible families and work with them and meet the most incredible people I ever had the privilege of working with,” Witkoff said, noting that he became friends with some of the people he met along the way.

“I feel that my boy puts his hand on my shoulder and leads me to these places, and his death now feels like it counts for something, like that was his purpose.

“God took him back at 23, but asked me through him, or asked him through me, to meet these wonderful families. And it’s the blessing of my life, I don’t know how to describe it any more than that.”

The Gaza peace plan, which came into effect in October 2025, is set to unfold in three phases, with the first phase requiring Hamas to release all Israeli hostages, living and dead.

Israel and Hamas have traded accusations of cease-fire violations since October. The first phase of the deal was supposed to include the release of all Israeli hostages, living and dead, held by Hamas. Thus far, Hamas has returned the remains of 27 out of 28 deceased hostages.