White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff compared the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas to the release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons, stating that both experiences “feels like we’re changing lives.”

“People ask me: ‘Why do I like doing it?’ And I say because it feels worthy, it feels like we’re changing lives,” Witkoff said on Friday at the FII Priority summit in Miami. “I remember when we met those families of the Israeli hostages and they were ecstatic because they didn’t think their children were coming home.”

“But I was also in Gaza,” Witkoff continued. “I met Gazan families whose children were released from Israeli prisons in exchange, and they were just as grateful as the Israeli parents.”

“People ask me: ‘Why do I like doing it?’ And I say because it feels worthy, it feels like we’re changing lives,” Witkoff said on Friday at the FII Priority summit in Miami. “I remember when we met those families of the Israeli hostages and they were ecstatic because they didn’t… pic.twitter.com/CBpwY4bQHi

— Jewish Insider (@J_Insider) March 29, 2026

Israel released around 2,000 Palestinian security prisoners in exchange for 20 living and several deceased hostages under the U.S.-backed ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas. At least 250 of the released prisoners were serving life sentences for carrying out deadly terror attacks. 

During the summit, Witkoff also discussed the current conflict in Iran, as President Donald Trump continues to herald the success of ongoing diplomatic negotiations with the regime. Iran initially denied that negotiations were taking place but then formally rejected the U.S.’ 15-point ceasefire proposal, sending a five-point counteroffer that would recognize Tehran’s authority over the Strait of Hormuz. 

“There are some people who have denied that we are negotiating,” Witkoff said. “We may have a different definition of negotiating than they do, or there may be people within their system today who just don’t have the ability to admit it, but we’re talking to them.” 

“We have a 15-point deal on the table that the Iranians have had for a bit of time,” Witkoff added. “We expect an answer from them, and it would solve it all. It would solve the enrichment question, which is, we can’t have enrichment there today.”

Witkoff said the deal on the table would also solve Iran’s “enriched material stockpile, which they have to give up.”

“There are red lines for us, but we’re not looking to see the dissolution of the Iranian people,” Witkoff said. “They are very good people. We want them to thrive and survive and the country to join the league of nations and to be prosperous and do a lot of business. We just don’t want the destabilizing forces that they’ve generated out there.”

Witkoff said a deal could generate “collateral benefits,” such as diplomatic normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel, a goal that has thus far been elusive for the administration. He also noted that there will be “meetings this week,” and that “ships are passing” in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has effectively blocked one of the world’s most critical oil passageways. 

“I think the president wants a peace deal, but he also believes in — and I believe in it too — peace through strength. Without pressure, you never get anybody to the table,” Witkoff said. “We’re employing a lot of strength, we have a big fleet there, and yet we’re prepared to solve it with a diplomatic solution.”