Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, later described the meetings of Mr. Boehler as a “unique” that has not yet produced results.
But Hamas’s last offer was similar to the one that Boehler proposed last week in Doha, which included a plan to skip the negotiations for the second phase and bring home the remaining hostages, said an American official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly. That proposal followed days of interviews that Mr. Boehler led to close coordination with Mr. Witkoff, said the official.
Up to 24 living hostages and the bodies of over 30 others are still in Gaza, according to the Israeli government.
Hamas and other militant groups seized about 250 hostages during October 7, 2023, attach to Southern Israel who lit the war in Gaza. More than 100 returned alive to Israel after agreements with Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Israeli soldiers recovered the bodies of dozens of others during the invasion of Gaza to the ground.
In mid -January, Israel and Hamas signed multi -phase fire on the cease, during which 30 hostages and remains of eight other were exchanged with more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first six weeks of the tree. The release of others – like Mr. Alexander – was deferred until both sides concluded the talks on the “second phase” nebula.
Mr. Alexander grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey, with parents of Israeli origin. After the high school, he moved to Israel to enlist in the army; He was kidnapped by the pole where he was stationed during the attack led by Hamas. Hamas published a hostage video in which he appeared last year.
The perspective that prisoners hold another nationality – as Mr. Alexander – could be a priority has already pushed the furious denunciation of the relatives of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Many have asked for a single agreement that frees all the remaining prisoners simultaneously.
“If Israel insists on stopping in the middle and leaves its citizens behind – let every Israeli mother know who has to obtain a foreign passport, or will be abandoned,” said the forum of hostage families, a defense group, in a declaration.