Trump Administration Shifts US Policy, Engages Directly with Hamas for Hostage Release

The Trump administration has initiated direct talks with Hamas in Doha, marking a shift in US policy that previously avoided direct contact with the organization, which has been designated as a terrorist group since 1997. Adam Boehler, the US envoy for hostages, led the meetings. Previously, the US role in ceasefire and hostage release negotiations was limited to communication with Israel and mediators from Qatar and Egypt. The recent discussions focused on the release of American hostages, including Edan Alexander of New Jersey, who appeared in a Hamas video in November 2024, and the possibility of a broader agreement for all hostages and a long-term truce. Fighting in Gaza ceased on January 19. Since then, Hamas has released 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, plans to return to the region to negotiate an extension of the ceasefire agreement, according to a State Department spokesperson.