The developer, who is president-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, worked with the main negotiator in the deal.

Lead U.S. Negotiator on the Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal Brett McGurk tells CNN’s Wolf Blitzer he formed a “very close partnership, even friendship” with President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff amid the ceasefire and hostage negotiations.

Steve Witkoff was Donald Trump’s man in the room as the ceasefire and hostage release deal was forged between Israel and Hamas.

The negotiations that led to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement took months and months. At the center of the talks representing the United States was Brett McGurk, the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa.

Steve Witkoff, a New York real estate developer and investor, was reportedly instrumental in delivering the message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Trump wanted

The following is the full transcript of an interview with Brett McGurk, the White House National Security Council coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Jan.

Biden officials involved in the effort acknowledged that President-elect Donald Trump’s threats and Trump envoy Steve Witkoff’s participation during the final week of negotiations played a major role in bringing across the finish line a deal they had struggled to reach for more than a year.

The story of how Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza stretches back over more than a year. The timing and unlikely partners who coalesced to push negotiations

Emily Damari makes emotional first comments as she is among first hostages released by Hamas under Gaza ceasefire deal while 90 Palestinian prisoners are also freed from Israeli jails

Steve Witkoff was Donald Trump’s man in the room as the ceasefire and hostage release deal was forged between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli Ambassador to U.S. Michael Herzog told "FOX News Sunday" that the deal struck with Hamas to exchange hostages in exchange for a ceasefire is the result of "an unprecedented cooperation between the outgoing administration and incoming administration.

The ceasefire deal was signed off by Israel’s government on Saturday morning - but attacks have continued on the Gaza Strip