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The White House confirm that the Trump administration is dealing with direct conversations with Hamas, saying that discussions are in line with US interests.
President Donald Trump then threatened the Palestinians in Gaza with deadly consequences if all captives were not released.
Here's what we know:
What do we know about direct conversations in the US-Hamas?
The discussions, facilitated by Qatarica mediators, have been reported for weeks, but became more clear in early March 2025.
This is the first time of decades that the United States has negotiated directly with Hamas, a significant deviation from US policy, which excluded direct commitment to the group that it defined a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in 1997.
Instead, he relies on intermediaries – the most Qatar and Egypt – to communicate with Hamas.
They focused on securing the release of 21-year-old Edan Alexander, the only Israeli-American captive to still be alive, along with the bodies of four other Israeli Americans taken to Gaza on October 7th.
Axios who first reported The conversations also said that discussions include a wider agreement to release all other captives and establish a long-term truce.
The Wall Street Journal announced that the talks were held last month in Doha and led to the release of Sagui Dekel Chen, an Israeli-American double citizen, on February 15th.
Who is Adam Boller?
Adam Boler, the US Presidential Messenger on the hostages, has direct conversations with Hamas.
He was also a key negotiator for Abraham's agreements during Trump's first term working to expand Israel's normalization with the Arab world.
What did Trump say?
After the report, Trump issued a strong warning to Hamas in a social media publication on Wednesday, requiring the immediate release of all captives.
He turned directly to the Gaza people. “Also, for Gaza People: A beautiful future awaits you, but not if you hold hostages. If you do, you are dead! Make an intelligent decision, “Trump writes.
He said he would send Israel “Everything he needed to finish the work” and warned, “No Hamas member would be safe if you didn't, as I say.”
Trump has argued for the ethnic cleansing of the Gaza and US population “takes over” from the Palestinian territory, adding later that its “plan” will not allow the Palestinians to return to their homes in Gaza.
How does Hamas react?
Hamas did not have an official response to the call reports.
An employee of Hamas told the Associated Press agency that negotiations focus on the release of Israeli captives and are “promising”.
In response to Trump's threats, Hamas spokesman Hazem Kassel said they “complicated the issues regarding the fire termination agreement and encourage (Israel) to refrain from applying their terms,” according to Anadolu News.
“Hamas has fulfilled all his first phase obligations, but Israel avoids entering the second phase,” Qassem added. “The US administration is obliged to put pressure on the occupation to negotiate the second phase.”
How many captives are currently being held by Hamas?
Israel says 59 captives are still held in gas, 24 of them are thought to be alive. It says that the bodies of at least 35 others remain in Hamas's custody.
Hamas captured approximately 250 captives during their attack on South Israel, according to the Israeli government. More than 100 were released during a one -week truce at the end of 2023.
In February, during the first phase of fire termination, Hamas released 25 living captives and the bodies of eight more in exchange for approximately 1900 Palestinian prisoners.
The termination of fire between Israel and Hamas was agreed with mediation from Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The exchange of captives, the provision of humanitarian aid and a pause in military operations have noted the first phase.
The discussions about the transition to the second phase of the agreement – which involves the release of the other 59 captives, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the constant end of the war – were detained by Israel.
How does Israel respond to conversations?
The Trump administration is reported to consult with Israel about the potential direct commitment to Hamas. According to Axios, however, the Israelis learned about aspects of conversations on other channels.
White House press secretary Carolyn Levitt said, “Israel was consulted on this.”
The Israeli Prime Minister's office has made a statement saying that he “expressed his opinion” to the United States.
The Consul of Israel in New York Offright Ahhnis told Fox News: “There is a new attitude from the White House … against Hamas. They can talk to Hamas, that's good. “
What is next?
Despite the direct conversations, the cessation of Gaza's fire is in a limb.
Hamas responded to Trump's threats, saying that the United States was supporting Netanyahu's attempts to abandon the second phase of the fire termination agreement and fasted the Palestinians in Gaza.
Egypt also suggested that Israel did not want to fulfill its end of the agreement.
“So far, only the first phase has been applied, but now a party is trying to abandon its duties,” Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelati told QNA on QNA of the State Catari Agency on Wednesday.
A derailed cessation of fire can be detrimental to the Palestinians in Gaza, who have suffered nearly 17 months from Israeli attacks and siege tactics.
On Sunday, Israel said this would block all the assistance in Gaza to put pressure on Hamas to accept an extension of phase one from the termination of fire, immediately leading to a shooting of food prices in Gaza. Even during the termination of fire, locals reported Israeli artillery fire and air attacks against gas.
The first phase of the fire termination expired on March 1st. The US Special Messenger Steve Vikof has suggested an extension of phase one to six weeks. Netanyahu agreed to the proposal, but Hamas opposed, urging the deal to move to the second phase, as agreed earlier.
