Report: U.S. holds first-ever direct talks with Hamas over hostages

The Trump administration is reportedly engaged in direct negotiations with Hamas to secure the release of American hostages in Gaza and explore a broader deal to end the war, Axios reports, citing two sources familiar with the discussions.

The talks, led by Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler, mark a historic shift, as the U.S. has never previously engaged directly with Hamas, a group it designated as a terrorist organization in 1997.

According to Axios, the secret negotiations have been taking place in Doha in recent weeks, though no agreement has been reached. In January, senior Hamas official Mousa Abu Marzouq publicly stated that the group was open to dialogue with the Trump administration.

While the U.S. consulted Israel about the possibility of engaging with Hamas, Israeli officials reportedly learned certain details through other channels, Axios reports.

One American hostage believed to be alive in Gaza is Edan Alexander. Hamas is also holding the bodies of American-Israeli hostages Itay Chen, Gad Haggai, Judi Weinstein, and Omer Neutra.

Trump’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was scheduled to meet with Qatar’s prime minister in Doha later this week but has postponed the meeting due to a lack of progress in broader hostage negotiations, Axios says.

The White House and Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office have not yet responded to requests for comment.