Trump envoys reportedly met Hamas leaders in Egypt to finalise hostage release and ceasefire deal amid diplomatic deadlock
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL NEW | Oct 13, 2025, 22:23 IST
Trump envoys reportedly met Hamas leaders in Egypt to finalise hostage release and ceasefire deal amid diplomatic deadlock
In an unprecedented diplomatic move, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and former presidential adviser Jared Kushner allegedly held direct talks with Hamas leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to break a stalemate in negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release. The reported meeting, confirmed by multiple diplomatic sources to Israeli journalist Barak Ravid for Axios, was said to have Trump’s explicit authorization.
TL;DR
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reportedly met directly with senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Khaya, at Egypt’s Four Seasons Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The meeting, allegedly approved by former President Donald Trump, marked a rare and controversial step in U.S. diplomatic engagement with Hamas.
Envoys Met Hamas Officials in Secret Negotiations
As reported by Axios and Israel's Channel 12, Witkoff and Kushner sat down with senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Khaya and other senior leaders late Wednesday evening at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh. The meeting brought together heads of Egyptian and Turkish intelligence as well as Qatari mediators, who are all vital players in the ongoing Gaza negotiations.
According to sources close to the discussions, Qatari diplomats advised the U.S. representatives to take a more straightforward approach with Hamas after a long period of stalled diplomacy. Trump's envoys, on their president's personal authority, sought to seal the initial phase of a larger peace and rebuilding plan for Gaza.
Assurances Sought by Hamas
Hamas leaders reportedly expressed concerns that Israel might resume military operations once the hostages were released. According to Ravid’s report, Witkoff assured the delegation that Trump would ensure compliance with all 20 points of his peace plan, provided Hamas upheld the terms of the deal.
During the 45-minute discussion, Witkoff allegedly told Hamas representatives that the hostages had become “more of a liability than an asset,” pressing them to move forward with the agreement and enable “people to return home on both sides of the border.”
Deal Reached After Mediator Consultation
After conferring privately with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish officials, Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad reportedly informed the U.S. envoys that a preliminary deal had been reached. Within hours, Trump publicly confirmed that the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement was finalized.
The meeting was the second time there has been direct U.S.-Hamas contact since the war started. In the early part of the year, the U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler had a conversation with Hamas officials, an action which angered Israel and resulted in his removal.
Diplomatic Fallout and Implications in the Future
Despite the reported encounter being a diplomatic breakthrough, it also reignited Washington-Jerusalem tensions. Since then, Israeli lawmakers have objected to even indirect communication with Hamas, considering it a terrorist organization along with the U.S. Experts concur that if it turns out to be true, it would be more of a change of using the hard ways of negotiating prior to a wider Middle East peace initiative.
FAQs
U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reportedly met directly with senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Khaya, at Egypt’s Four Seasons Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The meeting, allegedly approved by former President Donald Trump, marked a rare and controversial step in U.S. diplomatic engagement with Hamas.
Envoys Met Hamas Officials in Secret Negotiations
As reported by Axios and Israel's Channel 12, Witkoff and Kushner sat down with senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Khaya and other senior leaders late Wednesday evening at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh. The meeting brought together heads of Egyptian and Turkish intelligence as well as Qatari mediators, who are all vital players in the ongoing Gaza negotiations.
According to sources close to the discussions, Qatari diplomats advised the U.S. representatives to take a more straightforward approach with Hamas after a long period of stalled diplomacy. Trump's envoys, on their president's personal authority, sought to seal the initial phase of a larger peace and rebuilding plan for Gaza.
Assurances Sought by Hamas
Hamas leaders reportedly expressed concerns that Israel might resume military operations once the hostages were released. According to Ravid’s report, Witkoff assured the delegation that Trump would ensure compliance with all 20 points of his peace plan, provided Hamas upheld the terms of the deal.
During the 45-minute discussion, Witkoff allegedly told Hamas representatives that the hostages had become “more of a liability than an asset,” pressing them to move forward with the agreement and enable “people to return home on both sides of the border.”
Deal Reached After Mediator Consultation
After conferring privately with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish officials, Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad reportedly informed the U.S. envoys that a preliminary deal had been reached. Within hours, Trump publicly confirmed that the first phase of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement was finalized.
The meeting was the second time there has been direct U.S.-Hamas contact since the war started. In the early part of the year, the U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler had a conversation with Hamas officials, an action which angered Israel and resulted in his removal.
Diplomatic Fallout and Implications in the Future
Despite the reported encounter being a diplomatic breakthrough, it also reignited Washington-Jerusalem tensions. Since then, Israeli lawmakers have objected to even indirect communication with Hamas, considering it a terrorist organization along with the U.S. Experts concur that if it turns out to be true, it would be more of a change of using the hard ways of negotiating prior to a wider Middle East peace initiative.
FAQs
- Did former President Trump approve the talks?
As per reports from Axios, Trump secretly gave consent for his representatives to sit with Hamas leadership if need be to close the deal. - What's next?
Analysts anticipate further diplomatic efforts to solidify later phases of Trump's Gaza peace initiative, but confirmation and implementation remain doubtful. - What was the objective of the meeting?
The main agenda of the meeting was to finalize an agreement of ceasefire and hostage release that had been under negotiation between Hamas and Israel for months but had broken down.