U.S. officials held talks with Hamas leaders, Egyptian and Qatari mediators on Wednesday night to discuss post-war governance in Gaza and the potential advancement of the second phase of a hostage deal, two Egyptian officials told Reuters.
The discussions reportedly ended on a positive note, raising hopes for progress in negotiations. However, an Israeli official countered the reports, saying, "We are not aware of any progress in talks on the second phase of the deal."
US President Donald Trump meets delegation of former Hamas hostages in the Oval Office
(Video: The White House)
According to the Egyptian sources, U.S. and Egyptian officials discussed potential leaders for Gaza’s post-war administration, following revelations that American negotiators had held direct talks with Hamas representatives in Qatar. The talks focused on the fate of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander and four others killed in captivity.
The Emirati news outlet The National reported that U.S. officials held three rounds of discussions in Qatar in January, involving hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler and two other American representatives. Hamas was represented by senior figures Khalil al-Hayya, Zaher Jabarin and Bassem Naim. The meetings, coordinated by Egypt and Qatar, took place in a Doha suburb on January 19, shortly before a temporary cease-fire went into effect.
Negotiations on the second phase of the hostage deal, which was supposed to begin on the 16th day of the initial agreement, has yet to take off. Last Saturday marked the formal end of the first phase, during which Israel sought to extend the truce in exchange for further hostage releases, humanitarian aid deliveries and Palestinian prisoner exchanges.
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US President Donald Trump meets delegation of former Hamas hostages in the Oval Office
(Photo: The White House)
Hamas, however, refused and insisted on negotiations for the next phase. The talks remain stalled, as Hamas rejects Israel’s conditions for ending the war and withdrawing from Gaza.
Meanwhile, Egypt presented on Tuesday an alternative reconstruction plan for Gaza, diverging from Trump’s proposal to turn the enclave into a resort destination. The Egyptian plan calls for a return of the Palestinian Authority in some capacity, the formation of a civilian governance committee, a regional security force including personnel from Arab states and an oversight body involving Arab nations, the U.S. and the European Union.
Reports indicate that names of potential Gaza administrators, discussed in U.S.-Hamas talks, had previously been mentioned by Egypt.
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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the Arab emergency summit on Gaza
(Photo: Egyptian Presidency/Handout via REUTERS)
The Trump administration dismissed the Egyptian proposal, arguing it does not address the devastation in Gaza, which, according to U.S. officials, is currently uninhabitable.
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Trump previously suggested relocating two million Gazans to Arab countries like Jordan and Egypt before rebuilding the enclave under “American ownership.” His proposal was swiftly rejected by Egyptian and Jordanian leaders, along with the Arab League.
Trump: 'For Hamas leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza'
News of the Trump envoy's talks with Hamas came just hours after the president issued a stern warning to Hamas leadership regarding the hostages, following a meeting with Israeli former captives.
"I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance. Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!"
Opening his post in Hebrew with "Shalom Hamas," Trump added, "[This] means Hello and Goodbye - You can choose. Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted! I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.”
Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that U.S. officials declined to specify whether Trump’s remarks implied direct military action against Hamas or unequivocal backing for Israel should it resume the war. In response, Hamas condemned Trump’s comments, saying, "His threats are yet another example of the American administration’s complicity in the genocide of our people."