Crowd boos U.S. envoy in Tel Aviv amid hostage talks

Steve Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, was met with loud boos Saturday night while speaking at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, where he, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump addressed thousands gathered to press for the return of hostages held in Gaza. The appearance followed U.S. envoys' recent trips to Egypt and Gaza intended to shore up a ceasefire agreement and prepare for a planned hostage release due on Monday.

Witkoff, who praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his remarks, was interrupted by jeers from the crowd. Witnesses and video of the event show the audience rapidly shifting from chants in support of the diplomatic effort to expressions of anger directed at Israeli leadership. The gathering has served in recent weeks as a nightly site for families and supporters demanding faster action and clearer results in negotiations to secure the hostages' return.

The U.S. delegation's presence in the region came after direct diplomacy in Egypt, where Witkoff and Kushner held late-night meetings with senior mediators and representatives of Hamas. Participants in those talks, including senior Hamas figures, agreed to a framework that negotiators subsequently...