US Middle East envoy Steve Whitcomb said the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, once considered impossible by some, was achieved thanks to the roles played by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.

Whitcomb spoke on Saturday evening at “Prisoners’ Square” in central Tel Aviv, celebrating the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, now in its second day, and announced that Israeli prisoners held in Gaza will return home.

He addressed the hostages directly, saying, “To the hostages themselves, you are coming home,” which sparked applause and chants from thousands gathered in the square now known as Prisoners’ Square. He also praised the families of the detainees, saying, “Your courage amazed the world.”

Protesters interrupted Whitcomb’s speech with whistles and boos directed at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but Whitcomb continued, “Tonight we celebrate a moment many thought impossible,” adding, “We celebrate a peace born not from politics but from courage.”

When Whitcomb thanked Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer (head of the Israeli negotiating delegation), loud boos erupted from the crowd, while Jared Kushner stood smiling behind him on stage, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

The US envoy expressed appreciation for the roles played by Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey in reaching the agreement, saying, “We thank the leaders of Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt for their efforts to reach this moment.”

He added that US President Donald Trump “proved that peace in the Middle East is not impossible,” referring to the Washington-backed agreement between Israel and Hamas mediated by Qatar and Egypt.

Meanwhile, Jared Kushner, the US president’s son-in-law, said during the same event, “On Monday, we will celebrate the release of the hostages after completing the first phase of the Gaza deal,” adding, “We have achieved the first phase of the Gaza deal, and the road was fraught with difficulties.”

The Israeli army announced that Whitcomb and Kushner visited the Gaza Strip on Saturday accompanied by Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and US Central Command leader Admiral Brad Cooper.

The army said the visit aimed to assess the situation in Gaza after the truce took effect and to follow up on security and humanitarian arrangements ensuring the ceasefire’s continuation.

This US field move follows President Trump’s announcement of successful US mediation in establishing a comprehensive peace agreement in Gaza, paving the way for reconstruction and broader talks involving the Palestinian Authority and regional countries.

The agreement took effect midday Friday with a partial withdrawal of the Israeli occupation army inside Gaza.

For two years, Israel, with US support, waged a war of extermination against Gaza’s population involving killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring international calls to end the war and International Court of Justice orders.

The extermination resulted in more than 67,000 martyrs and about 170,000 injured, with 460 Palestinians dying from starvation, including 154 children.