Boehler to continue assisting Witkoff’s efforts in Mideast amid reports of sidelining
US official seems to deny hostage envoy has been removed from involvement in efforts to release Gaza captives, as demanded by Dermer, amid anger in Israel over direct talks with Hamas
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US hostage envoy Adam Boehler will continue assisting Trump’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff, a senior US official told The Times of Israel on Thursday.
The clarification was provided following reports that Boehler had been sidelined from involvement in efforts to release Israeli hostages from Gaza due to frustration in Jerusalem over the unprecedented and direct talks he secretly held with Hamas.
“Adam’s role is hostages across the world,” the senior US official told The Times of Israel.
“He and his team will continue to support the team in the Middle East led by Steve Witkoff,” the senior US official added.
Boehler’s talks, leaked to the media last week, were largely aimed at securing the release of five American-Israeli hostages.
The talks were approved by Witkoff, but Israel was not fully informed ahead of time, a second US official said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s top aide, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, lashed out at Boehler during a call last week, hours after finding out about the latest meeting with Hamas, the second US official said.
Boehler conducted a series of media interviews on Sunday during which he defended the talks while also hitting back at Dermer’s frustration and arguing that the US has its own interests at play. He said he hoped for a deal to free hostages within weeks, and said he believed Hamas would ultimately lay down its weapons and forgo political power.
The interviews further angered Netanyahu’s inner circle, and Dermer subsequently began lobbying other Trump officials to have Boehler removed from the Israel file, the second US official said.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that Boehler’s talks were a “one-off” and that the main channel for hostage negotiations would remain the one led by Witkoff.
The second US official clarified that the direct talks with Hamas have yet to bear fruit, leading the Trump administration to return to the original channel led by Witkoff in which the US and Israel negotiate with Hamas through Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Witkoff was in Doha on Thursday to advance that effort and reportedly submitted an updated proposal to extend the current ceasefire by several weeks during which Hamas would release five living and 10 dead hostages.
