US-Hamas talks focused on last living American hostage, Edan Alexander, group says
Political adviser to terror group’s leader says Hamas not opposed to releasing soldier; Hamas spokesman rejects extension of original deal’s first phase
Meetings between Hamas leaders and US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler in recent days have focused on the release of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, a senior Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday.
“Several meetings have already taken place in Doha, focusing on releasing one of the dual-nationality prisoners. We have dealt positively and flexibly, in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people,” said Taher Nunu, political adviser to the leader of the terror group, confirming that talks took place over the past week.
The US-Hamas discussions broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups that the US has designated terrorist organizations. Hamas has been proscribed as such since 1997.
Nunu said the sides had also discussed how to see through the implementation of the phased agreement with Israel that went into effect on January 19.
“We informed the American delegation that we don’t oppose the release of the prisoner within the framework of these talks,” Nunu told Reuters.
Alexander, a 21-year-old who grew up in New Jersey and then returned to Israel, where he was born, to serve in the IDF, is believed to be the last living American hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, though the bodies of several Americans are also believed held in the Strip.
In total there are 24 presumed-living hostages and 35 bodies held by Hamas or its allies in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House last week that gaining Alexander’s release was a “top priority for us.”
Nunu praised what he described as the “important role” played by Witkoff — who is expected to travel to Doha this week, according to Axios — in reaching the January 19 ceasefire agreement that halted the fighting in Gaza.
“We hope that he (Witkoff) will work to succeed in the negotiation of the second phase,” Nunu said.
In remarks on Sunday defending the US-Hamas talks, Trump’s hostage envoy Boehler said, “I want to note the American hostages that are there. One in particular that’s alive. Adi [sic] Alexander and four dead bodies of Americans. There have been about 50 killed, and that is just not acceptable.”
Hamas spokesman: No extension of phase one
Meanwhile, in an interview aired by al Jazeera early Sunday morning, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the terror group “does not mind the release of Israeli prisoners with American citizenship,” but added that this will only happen “within a comprehensive agreement.”
Qassem said Hamas is sticking to its conditions for a second phase to the ceasefire with Israel — a hostage-prisoner exchange, Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and a guarantee of no return to war — stressing that Hamas “rejects extending the first stage of the ceasefire agreement.”
Qassem said he does not “rule out the possibility of meeting with representatives of the US administration.”
“Hamas understands that Washington has the ability to pressure” Israel on these conditions, he added.
On March 1, the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas officially drew to a close.
Talks regarding the terms of a potential second phase were supposed to have begun on February 3, but Israel has effectively refused to engage in them, as phase two would require it to withdraw fully from Gaza and agree to a permanent end to the war in exchange for the remaining living hostages.
According to Axios, the Trump administration hopes to extend the first phase of the previously agreed-upon hostage deal through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and until the end of the Jewish holiday of Passover on April 19. The report cited two US officials familiar with the matter.
Israel sending delegation to Qatar for talks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced late Saturday that he would send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an attempt to move negotiations forward.
The delegation will be headed by the government’s hostage point man Gal Hirsch, and senior Shin Bet official “M.,” an Israeli official told The Times of Israel. Netanyahu’s political adviser Ophir Falk will also join the delegation. The delegation that flew to Qatar in February was made up of the same officials.
M. is flying in place of the head of the security agency, Ronen Bar, whom Netanyahu removed from his negotiating role and is reportedly seeking to fire.
Netanyahu convened his cabinet, and is set to convene his security cabinet, on Sunday to discuss the path forward regarding efforts to free the hostages.
The 59 hostages held by terror groups in Gaza include 58 of the 251 abducted by Hamas-led terrorists during the group’s invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, which started the ongoing war.
They include the bodies of at least 35 confirmed dead by the IDF. The body of another soldier killed in 2014, Lt. Hadar Goldin, is still being held by Hamas, and is counted among the 59 hostages.
Jacob Magid and Lazar Berman contributed to this report.
