Report: Dermer tells ministers White House promised direct Hamas talks ‘won’t happen again’

According to a report in the Axios new site, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer told a security cabinet meeting yesterday that US envoy Adam Boehler’s controversial direct talks with Hamas do not represent the White House position.

An unnamed Israeli official tells the news site that Dermer also said the Trump administration promised Israel that “it won’t happen again,” and that US envoy Steve Witkoff will remain the lead negotiator on the issue of Israeli hostages.

The official says that Witkoff promised Israel he would not hold direct talks with Hamas unless the terror group makes “tangible concessions,” according to the news site.

Meanwhile White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is quoted by Axios as saying that US President Donald Trump “fully backs and supports” Boehler’s talks — contradicting Dermer’s reported comments.

Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the direct talks were a “one-off” that so far “haven’t borne fruit.”