U.S. disputes Hamas claim that it agreed to release American hostage
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A child tapes a stick holding a Hamas flag during a demonstration in support of the Palestinian resistance in Al-Manara Square in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Jan.12, 2024. Photo: Marco LongerAFP via Getty Images
Hamas said on Friday it agreed to release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, 21, and return the bodies of four other American-Israeli hostages, but the U.S. and Israel rejected that claim.
Why it matters: Hamas' statement didn't make clear what the group demands in return for releasing the five remaining American hostages.
- Hamas' statement also didn't refer in anyway to the terms of the latest "bridging" proposal presented by White House envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday. Witkoff rejected Hamas' statement and made clear it doesn't conform with his proposal.
- The White House accused Hamas of "claiming flexibility" while actually making unacceptable demands. The statement also said Hamas knows Trump's deadline to release the hostages and threatened it will pay a "severe price" if that deadline is missed.
- Israeli and U.S. negotiators left Doha on Friday after five days of talks that didn't lead to a breakthrough, Israeli and U.S. officials said.
What they're saying: Hamas said in its statement that it met on Thursday with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators and received a proposal for extending the Gaza ceasefire.
- "We handled this proposal with responsibility and a positive approach and responded on Friday. We are ready to start negotiations on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal and we call for pressing Israel to implement its commitments," Hamas said.
Between the lines: Hamas' statement suggests it has agreed to a proposal given to it by Trump's hostage envoy Adam Boehler last week during the direct talks between the U.S. and the group in Doha.
- The proposal focused on releasing the remaining American hostages as an opening move for a broader deal on releasing all other hostages and reaching a long-term truce that would effectively end the war in Gaza. Israel didn't agree to this proposal.
On Wednesday, Witkoff and National Security Council senior director for the Middle East Eric Trager gave Hamas a new proposal in an effort to bridge the gaps, the White House said.
- Israeli officials said the U.S. proposal focused on releasing five living hostages and returning the bodies of nine dead hostages in exchange for extending the ceasefire until after Ramadan and Passover, which end on April 20. Israel accepted this proposal.
- The U.S. committed that during the extended ceasefire it would work towards a durable solution to the conflict in Gaza, the White House said.
- The White House stressed in a statement that the Qatari and Egyptian mediators told Hamas "in no uncertain terms" during the negotiations that the new U.S. proposal "would have to be implemented soon" and that dual U.S.-Israeli citizen Edan Alexander "would have to be released immediately."
The other side: The Israeli Prime Minister's Office called Hamas' statement "manipulation and psychological warfare."
- "While Israel has accepted the Witkoff proposal, Hamas stands by its refusal and has not budged a millimeter," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.
- Netanyahu will convene a ministerial team on Saturday night to discuss the hostages situation, receive a detailed report from the Israeli negotiating team, and decide on next steps, the prime minister's office said.
Between the lines: An Israeli official claimed in a briefing with reporters that Hamas' "alleged offer" to release American hostages was intended to sabotage the negotiations.
- "Hamas has not changed its position one bit, despite the efforts of the Trump administration and the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, and despite Israel's willingness to be flexible," the Israeli official said.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates
