This follows the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East saying recently that securing a particular American hostage was a ’top priority for us’ in negotiations.
White House hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, said on March 9 that meetings with Hamas regarding the release of its remaining hostages were very helpful and he did not leave additional discussions with the terrorist organization off the table.
The meetings with Hamas in recent days were centered on the group’s goal as far as bringing the war to an end, he said.
“I think it was a very helpful meeting. It was very helpful to hear some back and forth,” Boehler told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
Boehler acknowledged the concern of Israeli official Ron Dermer in having direct contact with Hamas, but noted the talks had a clear goal.
“We’re the United States. We’re not an agent of Israel,” Boehler said. “We have specific interests at play, and we did communicate back and forth.
“What I wanted to do is jump-start some negotiations that were in a very fragile place. And I wanted to say to Hamas, ‘What is the end game that you want here?’”
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Boehler’s discussions with Hamas break a decades-old Washington policy of not negotiating with terrorist organizations.
This week, U.S. envoys will travel to the region to continue discussions on a cease-fire in Gaza.
Boehler added that he thinks there could be results on the Gaza-held hostages within weeks, but didn’t further elaborate. He believes a deal can be reached where all prisoners are freed, not just the Americans detained in the territory.
Separately, Boehler said he is not sure whether American journalist Austin Tice is alive in Syria.
“I’m going to go to Syria, and I’m going to do the best I can to find out,” Boehler said. “If he’s there. I’m going to bring him home.”
Hamas Comments on Boehler Talks
On Sunday, Taher Al-Nono, a political advisor to Hamas’ leader, confirmed the meetings with Washington, adding that they occurred in the Qatari capital in the past week. He claimed they were directed toward the release of an American-Israeli dual national who the terrorist group has held hostage in Gaza.
“Several meetings have already taken place in Doha, focusing on releasing one of the dual-nationality prisoners. We have dealt positively and flexibly, in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people,” Nono said.
Both sides have also discussed ways to implement the next phased agreement intended to end the Israel–Hamas war, he added.
“We informed the American delegation that we don’t oppose the release of the prisoner within the framework of these talks,” Nono told Reuters.
Last week, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told reporters at the White House that a “top priority for us” was securing the release of Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old New Jersey man believed to be the last remaining living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza.
Alexander had served in the Israeli military as a soldier.
On Saturday, Israel and Hamas indicated they were working toward the next phase of the fragile 42-day cease-fire deal that began in January. A Hamas delegation met with Egyptian mediators in recent days and said it was ready to negotiate the second phase of the deal.
Israel said it was sending a delegation to Qatar on Monday “in an effort to advance the negotiations” around a cease-fire with Hamas.
The statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it “accepted the invitation of U.S.-backed mediators” but gave no other details. Discussions on the cease-fire deal’s second phase were originally scheduled to begin a month ago.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists stormed across the border into southern Israel, massacring around 1,200 people and taking 251 more as hostages, and triggering the Israel–Hamas war that, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health ministry, has led to the deaths of more than 48,000 Palestinians. The Gaza Health Ministry doesn’t separate civilians and combatants in its numbers.
Nono said Witkoff had played an “important role” in securing the Jan. 19 cease-fire truce that paused fighting in Gaza.
“We hope that he will work to succeed in the negotiation of the second phase,” Nono said.
Hamas has so far exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees under the phase one agreement. Fewer than half of the remaining 59 hostages are believed to be alive, according to Israeli authorities.
“I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.”
Travis Gillmore, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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