THE White House has confirmed that the United States has engaged in direct negotiations with Hamas regarding American captives held in Gaza, despite Washington’s long-standing designation of the Palestinian resistance group as a ‘terrorist organisation’.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s administration had sent Adam Boehler, the US envoy for captive affairs, to negotiate the fate of American nationals held in the besieged territory.
‘Engaging in discussions globally to serve the best interests of the American people is something the President believes in,’ Leavitt stated.
‘The President believes it is the right thing for the American people,’ she added.
The revelation of these negotiations comes as the US continues to back Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed at least 48,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, since October 2023.
According to reports, Boehler has held secret meetings with Hamas officials in the Qatari capital, Doha, over recent weeks.
The talks have primarily focused on securing the release of American captives, but discussions reportedly also touched on the possibility of a comprehensive ceasefire.
The Israeli regime launched its large-scale assault on Gaza following a historic resistance operation by Hamas on 7 October 2023, in which Palestinian fighters captured 240 Israeli soldiers and settlers.
While many captives have since been exchanged for thousands of Palestinian prisoners, Hamas is still believed to be holding 59 individuals.
Of those still in Gaza, the Israeli military claims 35 are dead, many as a result of Tel Aviv’s relentless bombardment of the strip.
Hamas has confirmed that numerous captives were killed due to Israeli airstrikes, which indiscriminately targeted civilian areas.
Among the remaining captives, 22 are believed to be alive, while the status of two remains unknown.
This includes five American citizens, one of whom, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, is presumed to be alive.
Leavitt confirmed that Israel had been consulted about the US-Hamas discussions, though reports suggest that Tel Aviv learned of certain aspects through indirect channels rather than direct briefings.
