Hamas sources told the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that an aide to President Trump’s envoy Stephen Witkoff met over the weekend in Qatar with senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya, who has served as the deputy chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau from August to October 2024, succeeding Saleh al-Arouri who had been assassinated by Israel.
The meetings, which took place on Saturday and Sunday, culminated in Hamas agreeing to release American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander as a “gesture” in advance of Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf.
Meanwhile, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, known for its ties to Hezbollah and Hamas, reported Monday morning, citing Egyptian sources, that “American pressure to establish a temporary ceasefire appears to be more effective today than at any previous point.”
According to the Egyptian sources, this pressure is having an impact despite Israel’s plans to escalate its military operations in the Gaza Strip. One Egyptian source quoted by the Lebanese paper claimed that the Trump administration views the continuation of the war as “a waste of time.” The source added that ongoing talks with Hamas have revealed a degree of openness to US proposals aimed at securing a ceasefire in the near future.
Reports from Israeli media suggest that President Trump has ceased direct communication with Netanyahu. This marks a significant shift from their previously close relationship.
Concurrently, Trump’s approach to the Gaza war appears to diverge from Netanyahu’s. While Netanyahu has resisted calls for a ceasefire, aiming for a complete military victory over Hamas, Trump has advocated for a swift resolution, and urged Netanyahu to end the war quickly, stressing the need to stop the ongoing violence.
Some have suggested a growing rift between Netanyahu and the Trump administration, with Netanyahu increasingly out of the loop regarding US decisions in the region.
