Inspiring Jew from Today: Steve Witkoff
- Oct 26, 2025
- 1 min read
Steve Witkoff was best known as a powerhouse real-estate developer. In 2025, he stepped into one of the toughest roles of our time, bringing Israeli hostages home.
In late 2024, then President-elect Donald Trump appointed Witkoff as Special Envoy to the Middle East, even though he had no formal diplomatic experience. Trump recruited him for his longstanding loyalty and his reputation as a tough negotiator.
When the January 2025 ceasefire and hostage exchange negotiations began, Witkoff pushed the parties to finalise terms, applying pressure and insisting on results.
He also took the difficult and emotional step of meeting hostage families, telling them that the piecemeal approach had failed and that a full, equitable deal would be his target.
In doing so, Witkoff turned a business mindset into a mission, pressing for every captive’s return, speaking publicly with hope and urgency, and proving that sometimes the most unlikely people are those called to do the hardest work.
"Every Jew is family," he said. “And you fight for family.”