Rubio says Boehler’s ‘one-off’ meeting with Hamas so far ‘hasn’t borne fruit’

US President Donald Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler’s direct meetings with Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza was a “one-off situation” and as of now “hasn’t borne fruit,” says US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“That was a one-off situation in which our special envoy for hostages, whose job it is to get people released, had an opportunity to talk directly to someone who has control over these people and was given permission and encouraged to do so. He did so,” Rubio tells reporters en route to Saudi Arabia.

“As of now, it hasn’t borne fruit. Doesn’t mean he was wrong to try, but our primary vehicle for negotiations on this front will continue to be Mr. Witkoff and the work he’s doing through Qatar,” Rubio says, in reference to Trump’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff.