US confirms direct talks with Hamas

As negotiations between the Palestinian-armed group and Israel loom before them, the United States is in direct contact with Hamas.

There are American lives at stake, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday, confirming a report from Axios media outlet that talks were taking place between the two parties. “These are ongoing discussions and discussions, I’m not going to detail them here,” Leavitt said.

The president has demonstrated that doing what is in the best interest of the American people is a good faith, effort, and effort, according to Leavitt, “Look, dialogue, and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people.”

The direct discussions with Hamas took place through Adam Boehler, Trump’s choice for special envoy for hostage affairs.

The negotiations regarding Israeli-US hostages in Gaza were confirmed by a Hamas official cited by the AFP news agency.

Since defining them as a “terrorist” organization in 1997, the US had previously publicly withdrawn direct contact from them.

Israel claimed the US had consulted on the direct talks.

According to Israeli officials, at least 35 bodies are thought to be still being held in Gaza, along with 24 living captives, including American national Edan Alexander, who is also reportedly a prisoner.

According to Hamdah Salhut, a journalist from Jordan for Al Jazeera, the two parties discussed captives being held in Gaza.

We are aware that the retrieval of the bodies of two Israeli-American prisoners who are still being held in Gaza and one Israeli captive who is reportedly still alive is a prerequisite for our efforts.

She said, “The Americans are saying that their envoys have the power to negotiate with anyone, and it’s not just over the captives who hold American citizenship, but it’s also for the end of the war.”

Fragile pact

The ceasefire’s first phase was extended, but Hamas insists on moving forward with the second phase of the agreement, which was reached in January. Israel is now pressuring for an extension.

In exchange for Israel’s release of more than 2, 000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, Hamas released 33 hostages during the first stage.

Israel claims that Steve Witkoff, the US envoy for the Middle East, wrote the proposal to extend the first phase of the truce.

In exchange for a ceasefire extension and a commitment to strike a long-lasting truce, Hamas would be required to release the majority of its prisoners. A crucial component of the first phase was not made any mention of the release of additional Palestinian prisoners.

aide obstructed

As the government attempts to pressure Hamas to accept the new terms, Israel suspended humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza on Sunday after the first phase had ended, which the Palestinian organization criticized as a breach of the original agreement.

On Wednesday, France, the UK, and Germany issued a warning to Israel against using aid as a “political tool” to ensure the Palestinian enclave’s unhinged delivery of humanitarian aid.

The nations’ joint statement read, “We call on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure full, quick, safe, and unhinged provision of humanitarian assistance to the population of Gaza.”

They claimed that a halt in the flow of goods and supplies into Gaza, similar to the one that the Israeli government announced, “could run the risk of violating international humanitarian law.” Humanitarian aid should never be a condition for a ceasefire or to be used as a tool for political gain.