High-Stakes Diplomacy: Envoy's Rare Talks with Hamas

President Donald Trump's hostage envoy, Adam Boehler, held direct meetings with Hamas to negotiate the release of hostages. These talks, however, have not yet yielded results. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that traditional diplomatic channels remain the primary focus for future negotiations.

President Donald Trump's special envoy for hostages, Adam Boehler, engaged in unprecedented direct meetings with the Palestinian group Hamas to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. Despite the significant diplomatic move, the meetings have yet to yield tangible results, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rubio described Boehler's meetings as an isolated incident, stressing that the discussions broke from the longstanding U.S. policy of not negotiating with organizations designated as terrorist by Washington. He further emphasized that traditional negotiation channels, led by the Trump administration's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, remain crucial.

Efforts continue to secure the release of Edan Alexander, believed to be the last American hostage. The ongoing conflict, initiated by a Hamas raid, has resulted in significant casualties. Both sides are under pressure as diplomatic efforts to resolve the hostage crisis unfold amidst the backdrop of ongoing violence in the region.

(With inputs from agencies.)