The United States broke the long -term diplomatic taboos, conducting secret talks with the Palestinian fighter Hamas group regarding the securing the release of American hostages that took place in Gaza, the sources informed Reuters on Wednesday, while US President Donald Trump warned about “Pays of payment” if the Palestinian combat group was not consistent.
The Messenger of the American for Hostage, Adam Boehler, has the right to talk directly with Hamas, the White House said when asked about discussions that broke from ten -year policy against negotiations with groups that American brands as terrorist organizations.
The sources reported that Boehler and Hamas officials met in Doha in recent weeks. It was not clear who represented Hamas.
In the White House, Trump met a group of hostages who have recently been released under a weapon suspension agreement in Gaza, and issued a new threat to Hamas in a post on social media.
He demanded that Hamas “release all hostages, and not later”, including the remains of deceased hostages “or this is the end for you”.
“I send Israel everything he needs to finish my work, no Hamas member will be safe if you do not do what I say,” he wrote. “Also for the inhabitants of Gaza: a beautiful future is waiting, but not if you have hostages. If you do this, you don't live! Make a wise decision. Hostage releases now, or there will be hell to pay later! “
Trump's warning repeated his threat “hell to pay” Before returning on January 20 to the White House, followed by a contract for the suspension of weapons and hostages in mid -January, for which he was recognized before the then President Joe Biden left the office.
Once again, Trump did not specify exactly what action he could take if Hamas did not apply.
The US has long avoided direct commitment to a group of fighters, which carried out a cross -border raid to southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, causing a devastating war in gas. Israel's offensive killed over 48,000 Palestinians, according to the Ministry of Health Gaza.
The US Department of State appointed Hamas a terrorist organization in 1997.
One of the sources said that the efforts include an attempt to obtain the edition of Edan Aleksander of Tenafly, NJ, considered the last of the Living American Hamas Hostages. He appeared in a film published by Hamas in November 2024.
Four other US hostages were recognized as dead by the Israeli authorities.
Until now, the American role in securing a weapon and hostage suspension agreement in Gaza concerned Israel and Qatar and Egypt of mediators, but without any known direct communication between Washington and Hamas.
The press secretary of the White House Karoline Leavitt told journalists that Boehler “has permissions” for direct conversations with Hamas. She said that Israel was consulted, but did not indicate whether it was before or after the talks. She described contacts as part of Trump's “Good Worches to do what is suitable for the American people.”
The Israeli office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement with information: “Israel expressed to the United States for a position on direct conversations with Hamas.” It didn't develop. Israel and many other countries consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization and refuses to negotiate directly with the group.
Taher Al-Nono, a political advisor to Hamas, said Reuters: “I have no information about meetings with American officials, but every meeting with the American administration is beneficial to the region's stability.”
Risk and possibilities with the approach
The sources reported that the conversations focused on the dismissal of American hostages still taking place in gas, but one stated that they also concluded discussions about a wider contract to free all other hostages and how to achieve a long -term truce.
The fight in Gaza was detained from January 19, and Hamas mentioned 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai for about 2,000 Palestinian and detainees prisoners. Israeli authorities believe that less than half of the remaining 59 hostages are still alive.
Leavitt was asked if the talks with Hamas also contained Trump's controversial proposal to take over the USA. He suggested last month that the devastated Gaza War would be transformed into a center in the Riviera style after its inhabitants were resettled elsewhere, the idea rejected in the Arab world and condemned by human rights groups.
“These are ongoing talks and discussions. I'm not going to describe them in detail, “she said. “American life is at stake.”
Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy American intelligence officer in the Middle East, said that Trump's unconventional diplomatic approach is associated with both risk and possibilities.
“On the one hand, Hamas' involvement directly can help us arouse hostages and help us reach a long-term agreement,” said Panikoff, currently at the Think-Tank Council of Atlantic.
“On the other hand, there is a reason why the US usually does not negotiate with terrorist groups, knowing that Washington will do this encouraging to repeat behavior in the future.”
Trump's envoy in the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, plans to return to the region in the coming days to develop a way to extend the first phase of the weapon suspension agreement in gas or promotion to the second phase, said the spokesman of the US Department of State on Monday.