The Trump administration has been talking to Hamas, marking a turnaround in previous U.S. policies
Sources told Reuters on Wednesday that the U.S. held a secret meeting with radical Palestinian group Hamas, breaking a long-standing diplomatic taboo to ensure the release of American hostages in Gaza.
When asked about the discussion, American hostage envoy Adam Boller has the right to speak directly with Hamas, a discussion that violated decades-old policies against negotiations with American brands as a group of terrorist organizations.
Sources said Boehler and Hamas officials met in Doha in recent weeks. It is not clear who represents Hamas.
At the White House, Trump encountered a group of hostages who were recently released under a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, where he issued a clear new threat to Hamas in social media posts.
He asked Hamas to “no longer release all hostages now”, including the remains of the dead, or end up for you. ”
“I am sending Israel everything you need to do this work, and if you are not as I said, a Hamas member will not be safe.” “Also, for the people of Gaza: a bright future awaits, but if you take the hostages.
Trump’s warning responded to his “hell” threat before returning to the White House on January 20, followed by a ceasefire and a hostage deal, and he announced his honors ahead of the left office of then-President Joe Biden.
Trump again hasn’t stated exactly what action he might take if Hamas fails to comply.
The United States has long avoided direct interactions with militant groups, which launched a cross-border raid on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and hijacking 251 hostages, triggering the devastating war in Gaza. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the Israeli attack killed more than 48,000 Palestinians.
The U.S. State Department designated Hamas as a terrorist organization in 1997.
The work included trying to acquire Edan Alexander of Tenafly, New Jersey, considered the last American hostage held by Hamas, one of the sources said. He appeared in a video published by Hamas in November 2024.
Israeli authorities declared the death of four other American hostages.
To date, the U.S. role in helping secure a ceasefire in Gaza and hostage release agreement has been dealing with Israel, Katari and Egyptian mediators, but there is no known direct communication between Washington and Hamas.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Boller “does have the power” to negotiate directly with Hamas. She said she consulted Israel but did not point out whether it was before or after the negotiations. She described the contact as part of Trump’s “kind efforts to do the right thing for the American people.”
“Israel has expressed its position to the United States on direct negotiations with Hamas,” the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement. It did not elaborate. Israel, together with many other countries, considers Hamas a terrorist organization and refuses to negotiate directly with the organization.
“I don’t have information on meetings with U.S. officials, but any meeting with the U.S. government is beneficial to stability in the region,” Hamas political adviser Taher Al-Nono told Reuters.
Risks and Opportunities
The talks focused on the release of American hostages still in Gaza, but some said they also included discussions about a broader deal to release all remaining hostages and how to reach a prolonged truce, the sources said.
The battle in Gaza has ceased since January 19, with Hamas having exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Israeli authorities believe less than half of the remaining 59 hostages are still alive.
Levitt was asked whether the talks with Hamas also included Trump’s controversial proposal for the U.S. takeover of Gaza. He suggested last month, the idea that the war-affected Gaza was transformed into a Riviera-style resort after its residents were relocated elsewhere, a thought that was rejected in the Arab world and condemned by human rights groups.
“These are ongoing negotiations and discussions. I won’t go into details,” she said. “There is American life at risk.”
Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence official in the Middle East, said Trump’s unconventional diplomatic attitude has existing risks and opportunities.
“On the one hand, directly interacting with Hamas can make it easier for us to drive our hostages out and help reach a long-term agreement,” Pannikov said.
“On the other hand, the reason the United States does not usually negotiate with terrorist organizations knows that Washington will inspire them to repeat this behavior in the future.”
Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff plans to return to the region in the coming days in a way to expand the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement to phase two, a U.S. State Department spokesman said Monday.
