Hamas Says Talks With US Focus On American Hostage Release In Gaza

JAKARTA - The meeting between officials of the Hamas militant group and US hostage negotiator Adam Boehler in recent days has focused on the release of American-Israeli hostages held hostage in the Gaza Strip, a senior group official told Reuters Sunday.

Taher Al-Nono, a political adviser to Hamas leaders confirmed unprecedented direct talks with Washington, saying discussions had taken place in the Qatar capital over the past week.

"Several meetings have taken place in Doha, focusing on the release of one of the prisoners with dual citizenship. We have handled it positively and flexibly, in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people," Nono said.

He added that both sides had also discussed ways to see the implementation of a gradual agreement aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas war.

"We informed the American delegation that we are not against the release of prisoners within the framework of these talks," Nono told Reuters.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House last week to release Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old man from New Jersey who is believed to be the last surviving American hostage to be Hamas in Gaza, is "a major priority for us".

Alexander is known to serve as a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

Israel and Hamas signaled on Saturday that they were preparing for the next stage of ceasefire negotiations, as mediators continued talks to extend the fragile 42-day ceasefire that began in January.

The Hamas delegation met in the last two days with Egyptian mediators and reaffirmed its readiness to negotiate the implementation of the second phase of the agreement.

Israel also said it would send negotiators to Doha on Monday to hold ceasefire talks.

The discussion between the US hostage envoy, Boehler and Hamas, violated Washington's decades-long policy of not negotiating with US-branded groups as terrorist organizations.

Nono praised what he described as "an important role" played by Witkoff in reaching the January 19 ceasefire deal that halted fighting in Gaza.

"We hope he (Witkoff) will work to make the second stage of negotiations a success," said Nono.

Earlier, based on a ceasefire agreement, Hamas had exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Israeli authorities believe less than half of the remaining 59 hostages are still alive.