The White House has confirmed that "ongoing talks and discussions" are being held between US and Hamas officials, as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains in the balance.
It is the first known direct engagement between the US and Hamas since the State Department designated the group as a terrorist organisation in 1997.
The US had long avoided direct engagement with the Islamist group, which carried out a cross-border raid into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and triggering the devastating Gaza war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had authorised his envoys to "talk to anyone" but declined to provide detail on the talks.
"Look, dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what's in the best interest of the American people is something that the president … believes is a good-faith effort to do what's right for the American people," she said.
Ms Leavitt said Israel was consulted but did not indicate whether this was before or after the talks, and noted that there were "American lives at stake".
Speaking after Ms Leavitt's comments, Mr Trump took to his Truth Social platform to issue what he called a "last warning” to Hamas to release all remaining hostages held in Gaza.
Mr Trump, added that he was “sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job”.
Ceasefire talks in the balance
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office offered a terse acknowledgement of the US-Hamas talks, saying "Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas".
Israeli officials say about 24 living hostages, including Edan Alexander, an American citizen, and the bodies of at least 35 others are believed to still be held in Gaza.
Four other US hostages have been declared dead by Israeli authorities, but their bodies have not been recovered.
Adam Boehler, Mr Trump's nominee to be special envoy for hostage affairs, led the direct talks with Hamas.
Mr Boehler was a lead negotiator on the Abraham Accords team during Mr Trump's first term, that strove to win broader recognition of Israel in the Arab world.
The talks, which took place last month, focused mainly on the release of American hostages, and a potential end of the war without Hamas in power in Gaza, according to a Hamas official who was not authorised to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The official added that no progress was made but "the step itself is promising" and more talks are expected. Egyptian and Qatari mediators helped arrange the talks.
The direct engagement comes as the continuation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains uncertain.
Under the terms of a new ceasefire proposal, which Israel says was drafted by US envoy Steve Witkoff, Hamas would release half its remaining hostages in exchange for a ceasefire extension and a promise to negotiate a lasting truce.
Israel made no mention of releasing more Palestinian prisoners, a key component of the first phase.
Fighting in Gaza has been halted since January 19 and Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
AP/ABC/Reuters
