US confirms direct talks with Hamas over Gaza hostages

The US is holding talks with Hamas over the hostages held in Gaza, the White House has confirmed.

Washington has until now avoided direct engagement with the group, and there is a longstanding US policy against having direct contact with entities it lists as terrorist organisations.

The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a briefing that Israel had been consulted prior to the talks.

“Two direct meetings” have taken place between Hamas and a US official, “preceded by several communications”, a Palestinian source told the BBC.

News of the talks was first reported by Axios, which said the two sides were meeting in Qatar to discuss the release of US hostages as well as a wider deal to end the war.

“When it comes to the negotiations that you’re referring to, first of all, the special envoy who’s engaged in those negotiations does have the authority,” Leavitt said.

The special envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler’s work was a “good faith effort to do what’s right for the American people”, she told reporters.

President Trump believed in doing what was in the best interest of the American people, Leavitt said.

Israel said there are still 59 hostages being held in Gaza, with up to 24 believed to be alive. US citizens are also among the captives.

A former US deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for the Middle East said the US needs to be “more proactive” about getting its citizens back.

Mick Mulroy, who is also an ex-CIA paramilitary officer, added that “it could complicate the Israelis’ ability to get their citizens back if not tightly coordinated”.

Israel’s prime minister’s office said in a statement it has “expressed its position” regarding the direct talks, but did not provide any further information.

According to reports, Boehler met with Hamas representatives in the Qatari capital, Doha, in recent weeks.

Hamas has had a base in Doha since 2012, reportedly at the request of the Obama administration.

The small but influential Gulf state is a key US ally in the region. It hosts a major American air base and has handled many delicate political negotiations, including with Iran, the Taliban and Russia.

Alongside the US and Egypt, Qatar has also played a major role in talks to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

A US official told Axios that White House envoy Steve Witkoff cancelled a visit to Doha to discuss ceasefire negotiations with Qatar’s prime minister on Tuesday after there had been no progress in talks.

Anonymous sources told the US-based news site that discussions between the US and Hamas on releasing the remaining hostages and reaching a long-term truce, has not yet reached a deal.

Additional reporting by Bernd Debusmann