A senior member of Hamas’ political bureau, Basem Naim, told Britain’s Sky News that the terror group is holding “peace talks” directly with the United States concerning the future of the Gaza Strip.
According to Naim, the discussions involve direct communication with senior members of the U.S. administration, with Hamas demanding a prisoner exchange, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, the facilitation of humanitarian aid, and the reconstruction of the enclave.
He added that Hamas is willing to hand over governance of Gaza to an independent, non-partisan Palestinian entity. "We have also told the Americans, we are ready to, again, to hand over the government immediately if we reach an end of this war," he said.
Naim also said that U.S. President Donald Trump "has the capability and the will to reach this peaceful situation. Gaza and Gazans are deserving, like all other people everywhere, to live in peace and dignity. And I think President Trump can do it if he exercises enough pressure on the Israelis to end this war immediately. And we are ready to cooperate with him to achieve this goal of a more peaceful region."
Meanwhile, during Trump's visit to Doha, Israel’s negotiating delegation continues talks in Qatar, closely accompanied by U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Adam Boehler. However, sources familiar with the matter said no significant progress has been made. Due to the ongoing impasse, the sources noted, Witkoff has held several conversations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to expand the mandate of the Israeli delegation, which is headed by the deputy head of the Shin Bet security agency.
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Israel, for its part, remains committed to the Witkoff framework and insists there can be no end to the war without the return of all hostages and the surrender of Hamas—including disarmament and exile of its leadership. Reportedly, Witkoff is also exploring options for a phased release of hostages to initiate a ceasefire process.
According to the Qatar-based network Al Jazeera, Witkoff recently held a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Qatari officials and relatives of hostages. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene a meeting of ministers and security chiefs in the coming hours to discuss developments in the Doha negotiations.
Hamas, meanwhile, remains firm in its positions and, according to Israeli sources, continues to reject the original Witkoff framework, demanding that any agreement include a binding Israeli commitment to end the war.