Representatives of Hamas and ‘Israel’ will take part in talks in the Qatari capital, Doha, in a new attempt to reach a ceasefire-captive deal on Gaza on Wednesday.
Hamas rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that military pressure helped secure the release of US-Israeli captive Edan Alexander.
“The return of Edan Alexander is the result of serious communications with the US administration and the efforts of mediators, not a consequence of Israeli aggression or the illusion of military pressure,” the Palestinian group said Tuesday in a statement.
“Netanyahu is misleading his people and has failed to bring back his prisoners through aggression,” Hamas added.
“The return of Edan Alexander confirms that serious negotiations and a prisoner exchange deal are the way to bring back the prisoners and end the war,” the Hamas statement added.
Earlier on Monday, Netanyahu’s office announced that the Israeli delegation was scheduled to depart for Doha on Tuesday.
The announcement came after Netanyahu spoke with US President Donald Trump, and following a meeting with US special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and US Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
It was issued shortly before the Hamas group released Alexander.
US President Donald Trump started on Tuesday a visit to Saudi Arabia and is due in Doha on Wednesday. In earlier remarks, Trump said Alexander’s release — which Hamas presented as a goodwill gesture to the United States, via direct talks that excluded Israel — was part of a larger effort to end the war and return all hostages, as officials spoke of a “window of opportunity” for a larger deal.
US Envoys: ‘Genuine Chance for Progress’
Meanwhile on Tuesday, the Israeli Hostage and Missing Families Forum said that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler told the families of Israeli captives still in Gaza that they think there is a chance to make progress on freeing the Israeli captives as they head to Qatar for the indirect talks.
Witkoff “assured the families that if he and Boehler didn’t believe there was a genuine chance for progress in negotiations, they wouldn’t be making the trip to Doha,” the Forum said, noting that the meeting lasted nearly two hours.
“Both officials emphasized their personal commitment to bringing back all 58 remaining hostages – both the living and the deceased,” the statement said. “Witkoff emphasized that they will accept nothing less than the return of everyone, as this is the President’s mission.
Witkoff also told the families that “everyone would prefer to see a diplomatic solution,” the Israeli Forum added.
Source: Agencies
