Representatives from the United States and Hamas have held talks focused on the release of hostages, according to a senior official from the Palestinian resistance movement who spoke with Al Mayadeen.
According to the source, the meeting was requested by the US, and Israel was reportedly caught off guard by the move. During the talks, the US envoy limited the discussion to the hostage exchange and avoided broader issues like a ceasefire or ending the conflict. While Washington didn’t present a concrete prisoner swap proposal, the Hamas delegation was given the chance to outline their position. The US envoy reportedly left the meeting with a positive impression, indicating that negotiations with Hamas were possible.
Earlier, Axios reported that the Trump administration had been quietly engaging in direct talks with Hamas, aimed at securing the release of American hostages and potentially negotiating a broader truce in Gaza. According to their sources, these meetings took place in Doha, with Trump’s special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, representing the US. The broader US goal is to secure the hostages’ release while exploring the potential for a long-term ceasefire between Hamas and Israel — but so far, no concrete agreements have been reached.
In January, Israel and Hamas, with mediation from Egypt, Qatar, and the US, agreed to a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, which came into effect on January 19. During the first phase of the agreement, 33 hostages were returned to Israel over a 42-day period in exchange for the release of over 1,500 Palestinians, some of whom were deported outside Palestinian territories.
On March 2, Israel blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza and shut down all border crossings, after Hamas rejected a ceasefire plan proposed by Trump’s special envoy, Stephen Witkoff, for continuing the negotiations.
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Based on TASS materials