US envoy's meeting with Hamas was 'one-off': Secretary of state

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that President Donald Trump's envoy Adam Boehler's meeting with the Palestinian group Hamas was a "one-off situation."

"Well, that was a one-off situation in which our special envoy for hostages, whose job it is to get people released, had an opportunity to talk directly to someone who has control over these people and was given permission and encouraged to do so. He did so," Rubio told reporters.

"As of now, it hasn't borne fruit. Doesn't mean he was wrong to try, but our primary vehicle for negotiations on this front will continue to be (Trump's special envoy for the Middle East) Mr. (Steve) Witkoff and the work he's doing through Qatar," he added.

He repeated his call on Hamas to release all hostages.

Boehler, in a series of interviews with Israeli and US television channels Sunday, said he was speaking directly with Hamas regarding the return of all Israeli hostages, including those holding American citizenship.

Rubio said Boehler is "fantastic" at what he does and has already had "tremendous success" in getting people released around the world.

His remarks came en route to Saudi Arabia, where a meeting between US and Ukrainian officials will take place Tuesday to discuss ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to extend the first phase of the prisoner exchange to secure the release of more Israeli captives without fulfilling military or humanitarian obligations outlined in the agreement, appeasing hardliners in his government.

Hamas, however, rejects this approach and insists that Israel abide by the ceasefire terms, urging mediators to push for immediate negotiations on the second phase, which includes a full Israeli withdrawal and an end to the war.

The ceasefire deal has been in place since January, pausing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed nearly 48,500 people, mostly women and children, and left the enclave in ruins.