In a policy shift, U.S. and Hamas say they're in direct talks on hostages

In a policy shift, U.S. and Hamas say they're in direct talks on hostages toggle caption Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images LONDON and TEL AVIV — A Hamas official tells NPR that the United States held direct talks with the Palestinian militant group over the release of several American-Israeli dual citizens taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in Israel. Sponsor Message The Hamas official did not specify if the January talks took place with officials from the Biden administration or President Trump's incoming administration. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler had held talks with Hamas, saying that Boehler "does have the authority to talk to anyone" and that Israel had been consulted on the talks. Hamas had initially said it was not willing to discuss hostages with U.S. citizenship as a separate matter, but the Hamas official told NPR that now "nothing is off the table."