US Officials Reportedly Meet Hamas to Discuss Gaza's Future
The United States has reportedly engaged in direct communication with Hamas through a senior official in President Donald Trump’s administration, as part of efforts to push for disarmament in the Gaza Strip and prevent a resurgence of war.
A report broadcast by Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 on Monday stated that Aryeh Lightstone, an adviser to US special envoy Steve Witkoff and a member of the Board of Peace established by Trump, has held several meetings with senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya in recent months.
According to the report, the talks are part of a process that Washington and Tel Aviv describe as an effort to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities. The Israeli government is said to be aware of the communications.
Kan 11 also reported that Steve Witkoff had previously met directly with Khalil al-Hayya as part of negotiations to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of all Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
A source familiar with the discussions said Lightstone’s meetings are part of a negotiation track led by Nikolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza. The track is discussing post-war arrangements proposed under President Trump’s plan.
Meanwhile, another report indicated that Washington has submitted a document containing a series of demands to Israel regarding arrangements in the Gaza Strip. The document includes measures on infrastructure development, governance, management of border crossings, and reconstruction.
The move is seen as part of US pressure on Israel to refrain from resuming large-scale military operations in Gaza while negotiations are ongoing.
According to Israeli sources cited by Kan 11, Hamas has adopted a harder stance compared to previous rounds of negotiations. They assessed that the current negotiation process is largely moving backwards.
The focus of the talks has now shifted to a debate over the definition of heavy and light weapons as part of the disarmament plan for Gaza.
Although direct communication between US officials and Hamas has reportedly taken place, there has been no official confirmation from the White House or Hamas regarding the content of the discussions or the latest developments in the negotiation process.