US President Donald Trump’s administration is holding direct talks with Hamas, aimed at securing the release of American hostages held in the Gaza Strip as well as a broader deal to end the war, a source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Wednesday, confirming a report by Axios.

The White House later confirmed that the US was holding direct talks with Hamas, adding that “Israel was consulted on this matter,” but declined to comment on what was being discussed with the terror group.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, following the US’s public confirmation of the talks, said Israel “expressed its stance on direct talks with Hamas” in “contacts with the US,” but provided no further details.

The secret talks being held by Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler are unprecedented, as the US has never before engaged directly with Hamas, which Washington designated as a terror group in 1997.

The talks have been taking place in Doha in recent weeks, Axios said, citing two sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations, and adding that no deal has been reached.

Asked in a press briefing about the report, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Boehler “does have the authority to talk to anyone,” and said, “Dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interest of the American people is something that the president has proven that he believes [in].”

Leavitt did not comment on what was being discussed, saying merely that the discussions are “ongoing” and that there are “American lives at stake.”

While the US consulted with Israel about the possibility of engaging in talks with Hamas, Israel only learned about specific aspects through other channels, Axios reported.

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© The Times of Israel