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00:00He has more experience in clinching real estate deals than in diplomatic discussions.
00:05And yet, Steve Wyckoff is said to have played a key role in negotiations between Israel
00:10and Hamas.
00:12Hailing from the Bronx, the billionaire real estate developer was named as Donald Trump's
00:16Middle East envoy in November, despite his lack of foreign policy experience or training.
00:22But he has emerged as a key figure in securing the Gaza ceasefire deal.
00:27Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly been unwilling to finalise the deal during Shabbat, the Jewish
00:32day of rest.
00:34But Wyckoff, who is Jewish himself, is said to have convinced the Israeli prime minister
00:39to meet, insisting that he did not care what day it was.
00:43Officials in Qatar, which also helped to broker the agreement, have praised the envoy for
00:47his work.
00:48So, envoy Wyckoff, who was very instrumental in getting the deal through, will be part
00:55of these negotiations, of course, and others from the Trump administration as we go forward.
01:01And the other teams will be discussing all the details.
01:05Since then, the recently appointed envoy has been closely monitoring the ceasefire, visiting
01:09Gaza and Jerusalem in recent days.
01:13Wyckoff has spoken with families of hostages held by Hamas, and has voiced his determination
01:17to help bring them home.
01:19The president is my dear friend, and he's so concerned.
01:25And this is his mission.
01:27His mission is let's get everybody home.
01:29But the government is doing a wonderful job too.
01:33Wyckoff is now aiming to ensure the ceasefire deal will reach its second phase.