To date, the U.S. role in helping to secure a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement has been dealing with Israel and Qatari and Egyptian mediators but without any known direct communications between Washington and Hamas.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Boehler "does have the authority" to hold direct talks with Hamas
She said Israel was consulted but did not indicate whether this was before or after the talks.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement saying: “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas”
It did not elaborate but Israel, which along with many other countries considers Hamas a terrorist organization, refuses to negotiate directly with the group.

Taher Al-Nono, Hamas political adviser, told Reuters:
"I have no information about meetings with American officials but any meeting with the American administration is beneficial for the stability of the region"

Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer on the Middle East, said
"Trump's unconventional diplomatic approach carries both risks and opportunities."

Panikoff, now at the Atlantic Council thinktank said
1. "On one hand, engaging Hamas directly could make it easier to get U.S. hostages out and help reach a long-term agreement,"
2. "On the other, there’s a reason the US doesn’t usually negotiate with terrorist groups,"
3. "knowing Washington will do so incentivizes them to repeat the behavior in the future."