A new book by former senior Biden administration official Brett McGurk is revealing extraordinary behind-the-scenes details of the negotiations that produced the January 2025 Gaza hostage deal — including heated confrontations in which incoming Trump envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly threatened Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with President Donald Trump’s wrath if Israel backed away from an agreement.

According to details from the book reported by The Times of Israel, the outgoing Biden administration and incoming Trump team worked unusually closely during the final days of negotiations, as both sought to secure the release of hostages before Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025.

Trump had already publicly warned there would be “hell to pay” if the hostages were not released by the time he entered office.

The negotiations accelerated in early January after Hamas provided a list of hostages it was prepared to release but presented additional demands, including the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and changes to the extent of an IDF withdrawal inside Gaza.

McGurk and Witkoff traveled to Doha, where Qatar’s prime minister reportedly believed the gaps could be narrowed to approximately 110 prisoners serving life sentences and an Israeli withdrawal of roughly 700 meters.

McGurk remained uncomfortable with the concessions. Witkoff, according to the account, had a dramatically different reaction.

“This is all [EXPLETIVE REMOVED], we’re saving lives here, and we can’t fail because of a line on a map or seventy-five or 100 prisoners,” Witkoff reportedly said.

The confrontation became considerably more intense during a January 11 meeting in Yerushalayim.

Netanyahu pushed back against the proposed terms and argued that additional pressure should be placed on Hamas. Witkoff reportedly lost patience.

“We’re closing this deal tomorrow. If you want to fight over ten or twenty prisoners, you’ll never get the hostages. Come on,” he told Netanyahu.

McGurk then proposed providing Israel with a letter from President Biden affirming Israel’s right to resume military operations if Hamas violated the agreement. Witkoff said Trump would sign the same commitment.

When Netanyahu’s advisers continued raising objections, Witkoff reportedly made clear that the incoming president was behind him.

“What Brett just said, that’s Trump’s position, so if you want to walk away, you can call Trump, and you’ll hear it from him. Come on, guys… You want to call Trump, Bibi?”

Netanyahu reportedly attempted to explain the political difficulties he faced with members of his coalition and Cabinet.

Witkoff was unmoved.

“So you’re leaving hostages in tunnels for what, another hundred days, forever, all for three hundred meters? That’s your position? Are you kidding me?”

The meeting was halted while Netanyahu consulted with his Cabinet. Later that night, according to McGurk, Witkoff informed him that Netanyahu had agreed to the terms.

Several days later, on January 15, the negotiations appeared to finally reach the finish line. McGurk threatened to leave Doha and tell Trump that Qatar and Egypt had failed to deliver Hamas.

Shortly afterward, Hamas gave its approval.

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Then-Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar opened a bottle of whiskey and poured drinks for those in the room. Witkoff, who generally does not drink alcohol, reportedly made an exception. Mossad Director David Barnea raised his glass and said, “L’chaim!”

Trump quickly announced that an agreement had been reached.

But the celebration nearly proved premature.

The following day, Netanyahu reportedly introduced another demand: Israel wanted advance approval of the identities of all 110 Palestinian prisoners who would be released.

Witkoff erupted.

“Are you [EXPLETIVE REMOVED] kidding me right now?” he reportedly said.

Barnea responded: “That’s our prime minister.”

Witkoff shot back: “No, no, you opened that whiskey. I told Trump we had a deal, there’s one thing you don’t do with me, or with Trump. Back out of a deal.”

According to the account, Witkoff threatened to immediately call Trump and have him publicly declare that members of Israel’s government did not care about their own hostages.

That prompted an angry response from Barnea.

“Steve, I run the Mossad! Don’t tell me about the hostages. I’m sorry, you crossed a line.”

Barnea asked for 45 minutes to speak with Netanyahu.

Witkoff gave him 30.

Barnea subsequently returned and confirmed that Israel would proceed with the agreement.

The first hostages were released on January 19, 2025 — Biden’s final full day as president and one day before Trump returned to the White House.

McGurk’s account portrays the deal as the product of months of negotiations and major changes on the battlefield — including the elimination of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israel’s devastating blows against Hezbollah — but also makes clear that Trump’s election fundamentally changed the diplomatic dynamic.

Even before taking office, Trump and his team were willing to apply intense pressure to all sides — including Netanyahu — to make certain the agreement was completed.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)