The administration of Donald Trump is conducting secret negotiations with militants of the Palestinian group Hamas regarding the possibility of releasing American hostages held in Gaza. Such negotiations contradict U.S. policy. This was reported by Reuters, citing two sources, as stated by UNN.
According to sources, in recent weeks, U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Beller has held direct talks with Hamas in Doha (Qatar). Until recently, the U.S. had avoided direct interaction with the Islamist group.
Such negotiations contradict the long-standing U.S. policy against direct contacts with groups that Washington designates as foreign terrorist organizations. The U.S. State Department added Hamas to this list in 1997.
The previous role of the U.S. in achieving a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages in the Gaza conflict involved cooperation with Israel, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators, but without any known direct contacts between Washington and Hamas.
Sources reported that the negotiations focused on the release of American hostages still held in Gaza, but one source claims that they also included discussions of a broader agreement for the release of all hostages and how to achieve a long-term truce.
These efforts include attempts to free Edan Alexander from New Jersey, who is considered the last living American hostage held by Hamas. He appeared in a video released by Hamas in November 2024. Four other American hostages were posthumously declared dead by Israeli authorities.
"On one hand, direct contact with Hamas could facilitate the release of American hostages and contribute to achieving a long-term agreement. On the other hand, there is a reason why the U.S. typically does not negotiate with terrorist groups: the knowledge that Washington will do so encourages them to repeat such behavior in the future," said former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Middle East Jonathan Panikoff.
Context
On February 28, a new round of negotiations took place in Cairo between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, and the U.S. The parties discussed the continuation of the ceasefire regime and the release of hostages from Gaza. Key points of the negotiations included the expansion of humanitarian aid for the residents of Gaza and finding a compromise solution regarding the return of hostages. According to available information, dozens of captives, both alive and deceased, are still in the enclave.