The Trump administration has changed its strategy by directly negotiating with Hamas in an effort to rescue hostages in Gaza, while also increasing unprecedented pressure on the group.
Historical negotiations
Speaking to reporters on March 5, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that President Trump has sent officials to negotiate directly with Hamas in recent weeks. According to Reuters, US special envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler is the representative participating in direct negotiations with Hamas in Doha (Qatar).
This is believed to be the first direct dialogue between the US and Hamas, an unprecedented move and a reversal of longstanding US policy of not negotiating with forces it has designated as terrorists. White House officials said Israel had been informed of these contacts.
US holds unprecedented talks with Hamas, Trump issues ultimatum
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the country had conveyed its position to the US, but gave no further details. Hamas also confirmed the talks. AFP quoted a senior Hamas member as saying the discussions focused on the American hostages, both alive and dead.
Jonathan Panikoff, a former US national intelligence official for the Middle East, said President Trump’s unconventional diplomatic approach presents both risks and opportunities. “On the one hand, direct negotiations with Hamas could make it easier to free American hostages and reach a long-term agreement. However, negotiating with armed groups could encourage them to repeat this behavior in the future,” Panikoff said.
An area in Khan Younis, southern Gaza on March 6, 2025
Following the White House's confirmation, President Trump issued an ultimatum demanding that Hamas immediately release all hostages and return the bodies of those killed. Writing on the social network Truth Social, the US leader warned that this was the last chance for Hamas leaders to leave Gaza, emphasizing that no member of the group would be safe if they did not meet US demands. Mr. Trump also pledged maximum support for Israel to "complete the mission". In response, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said that Mr. Trump's post would complicate the issue and encourage Israel to delay implementing the terms of the ceasefire agreement.
Fear of humanitarian disaster
The UN World Food Programme said on March 5 that Gaza has less than two weeks of food reserves left. Meanwhile, the UN Children's Fund warned that Israel's blockade is threatening essential health care services for children, including newborns, in Gaza. The warning from UN agencies came just days after Israel decided to suspend aid deliveries from outside to Gaza in an effort to pressure Hamas to accept an extension to the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.
In response to the situation, the foreign ministers of the UK, France and Germany issued a statement calling on Israel to fulfill its international obligations and facilitate the urgent provision of food, water, medical supplies and fuel to the 2.1 million residents of Gaza, according to CNN. Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of France, the UK, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia after the UN Security Council meeting on Gaza, French diplomat Jay Dharmadhikari stressed that Hamas should not be allowed to govern the enclave, Palestinians should not be relocated and Israel's security should be guaranteed.
US puts Houthi back on terrorist list
The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on seven senior members of Yemen’s Houthi movement on March 5, a day after Washington redesignated the group as a terrorist organization. The new sanctions target Houthi members who have smuggled military goods and weapons systems into Yemen, further destabilizing the situation in the Red Sea, Al Jazeera reported. The Houthis have not commented.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chinh-quyen-trump-truc-tiep-xu-ly-chuyen-gaza-185250306204618634.htm
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