As hours pass since the announcement of Hamas's agreement to release kidnapped soldier with American citizenship, Edan Alexander, more details have emerged revealing the extent of direct communication between Donald Trump's administration and the Palestinian terror organization.
Hamas sources informed the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that an assistant to United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steven Witkoff met with Hamas officials in Qatar during Saturday and Sunday, including senior political bureau member Khalil Al-Haya. These meetings formed part of discussions that spanned several days and culminated in Hamas agreeing to release Alexander as a "goodwill gesture" ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit to the Gulf region.
In a parallel development, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, widely regarded as having close ties to Hamas, reported Monday morning through Egyptian sources that "American pressure to establish a temporary ceasefire seems more effective today than at any previous point." According to these sources, this pressure has proven effective despite Israel's plans to expand military operations in the Gaza Strip.
An Egyptian official quoted in the newspaper suggested that the Trump administration purportedly views the continuation of the conflict as a "waste of time." The same official noted that ongoing diplomatic channels with Hamas have demonstrated increasing receptiveness to American proposals designed to achieve a ceasefire in the immediate future.
