Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff becomes the first U.S. official to visit Gaza in more than a decade, ahead of a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the second phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire.

U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Wednesday, then met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the Gaza ceasefire and a regional diplomatic push.

US special envoy Steve Witkoff met today with the freed hostages and heard their appeals that the USA continue to work to free those still held by Hamas.

Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Wednesday abolished the country’s constitution and declared himself president during a meeting of armed factions in Damascus.

Steve Witkoff helped negotiate the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. His visit to Gaza pn Wednesday was the first by a senior U.S. official in more than a decade.

This trip comes as negotiations for the second phase of the truce between Israel and Hamas are set to begin, with the US envoy to the Middle East expressing optimism going forward

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, said on Wednesday that he welcomed the potential for “a dialogue” with Hamas and heaped praise on Qatar for helping facilitate the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza, despite facing scrutiny for previous ties to the Gulf nation.

Before the announcement that all hostages had been safely transferred, the mood in the square was a combination of elation and intense fear. It reflected the extreme array of emotions Israelis have felt over the course of the first weeks of the current hostage deal.

Steve Witkoff visited the enclave to oversee the implementation of a fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Follow NBC News live updates for the latest coverage of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas.

Israel was due to free 110 prisoners, including 30 minors, in exchange for the three Israelis released on Thursday, the Palestinian Prisoners' Club advocacy group said. It is the third hostage-prisoner exchange under a January 19 ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war in Gaza.