Overview

• Adam Boehler, nominated as the US special envoy for hostage affairs, has held direct talks with Hamas in Qatar, breaking a decades-long US policy of non-engagement with the group.
• The discussions are focused on freeing hostages, including Edan Alexander, the last known living American captive held by Hamas, alongside the remains of four other US citizens.
• Israel has halted humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza, citing concerns over aid diversion to Hamas, as negotiations for extending a fragile ceasefire remain deadlocked.
• Hamas has rejected Israel’s proposal to extend the truce without further prisoner exchanges, while international criticism mounts over Israel's use of aid as leverage.
• The Trump administration’s direct engagement with Hamas has drawn mixed reactions, with Israel expressing reservations about the approach and Arab states rejecting Trump’s broader Gaza redevelopment plan.