Zach Witkoff and Steve Witkoff embrace on the convention stage. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) New York real-estate developer Steven Witkoff spoke about his friendship with Donald Trump.

Steve Witkoff, President-elect Trump's chief Middle East negotiator who played a key role in the Hamas-Israeli cease-fire, is a billionaire real estate developer and investor.

Witkoff, who is Jewish and who has been friends with Trump since the 1980s when he bought Trump a sandwich after they worked on a real estate transaction, has no Middle East diplomatic experience.

Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE," Trump wrote. Behind the scenes: A source close to Trump said the president-elect appointed Witkoff because of the "deep trust" between them.