Hamas officials have engaged in direct talks with U.S. hostage negotiator Adam Boehler over the potential release of an American-Israeli dual national held in Gaza, a senior Hamas figure told Reuters on Sunday.
Taher Al-Nono, political adviser to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, confirmed the discussions took place in Doha over the past week, marking a rare direct engagement between the U.S. and the Palestinian militant group.
“Several meetings have already taken place in Doha, focusing on releasing one of the dual-nationality prisoners. We have dealt positively and flexibly in a way that serves the interests of the Palestinian people,” Nono said.
He added that the talks also touched on implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
“We informed the American delegation that we don’t oppose the release of the prisoner within the framework of these talks,” he said.
U.S. Prioritizes Hostage Release
President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently emphasized that securing the release of Edan Alexander—a 21-year-old American-Israeli believed to be the last living U.S. citizen held by Hamas—remains a top priority for Washington.
Alexander, who served in the Israeli military, was among the hostages taken during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel, which killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures. The war that followed has since claimed more than 48,000 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza health officials.
Ceasefire Negotiations Continue
Hamas and Israel signaled readiness to advance the next stage of ceasefire negotiations, with Hamas representatives meeting Egyptian mediators over the past two days. Meanwhile, Israeli officials announced plans to send a delegation to Doha on Monday.
Under the ceasefire agreement reached on January 19, Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli and five Thai hostages for around 2,000 Palestinian detainees. Israeli authorities estimate that fewer than half of the 59 remaining hostages are still alive.
Despite ongoing truce efforts, violence continues. On Sunday, Palestinian officials reported that Israeli fire killed one person and wounded two others in eastern Gaza City’s Shejaia neighborhood. The Israeli military stated it had targeted “terrorists” attempting to plant a bomb near its forces. Since Thursday, at least eight Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to health officials in Gaza.