The US has a long-standing policy prohibiting direct interaction with organizations it designates as terrorist organizations, and Washington has so far avoided any participation with the group.
During a briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt informed reporters that Israel had been consulted before the negotiations.
A Palestinian source informed the news that there have been “two direct meetings” between Hamas and a US official, “preceded by several communications.”
The two sides were meeting in Qatar to negotiate the release of US prisoners and a broader agreement to end the war, according to Axios, which broke the news first.
