US President Donald Trump sent an envoy for rare direct talks with Hamas regarding the release of remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip.
The White House confirmed that these are unprecedented contacts, given the long-standing US policy of avoiding communication with groups listed as terrorist organizations.
On Wednesday, Trump issued a harsh “final warning,” demanding that Hamas immediately release Israeli hostages. “Free all hostages now and return the bodies of the dead, or it’s over for you,” he wrote on his social platform Truth.
This statement came shortly after the White House confirmed that Trump had sent his envoy to negotiate with Hamas, despite a long-standing ban on direct contact with the group. Trump emphasized that Hamas will face “hellish retribution” if the hostages, including 24 alive and the bodies of 35 killed, are not released. He also addressed the residents of Gaza, warning that their future would be bleak if they continued to support the hostage-taking.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt confirmed that the US had been in continuous negotiations with Hamas through Adam Boler, Trump’s nominee for the role of Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the negotiations and stated that Israel had expressed its position to the US regarding contacts with Hamas.
