US holds secret talks with Hamas

6/3/2025 6:10

The Trump administration

has been conducting secret talks with Hamas on the possibility

of releasing U.S. hostages being held in Gaza, a source briefed

on the conversations told Reuters.



U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler has been

holding the direct talks with Hamas in recent weeks in Doha, the

source said, confirming a report by Axios.



Until recently the United States had avoided direct

discussions with the militant group. The U.S. State Department

designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.



The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately

respond to a request for comment. Boehler's office declined to

comment. The White House did not immediately respond to a

request for comment.



The source said the talks have focused on gaining the

release of American hostages still held in Gaza, but also have

included discussions about a broader deal to release all

remaining hostages and how to reach a long-term truce.



U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve

Witkoff plans to return to the region in coming days to work out

a way to either extend the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire

deal or advance to the second phase, a State Department

spokesperson said on Monday.