Senior Trump administration officials held a secret meeting with Hamas deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya, according to a single unverified report. The discussions reportedly focused on disarming Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
A single unverified report, first circulated Monday evening, claims that senior officials in the Trump administration held a secret meeting with Hamas deputy leader Khalil al-Hayya. According to the report, the discussions focused on the disarmament of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The report did not specify the time, location, or the identity of the participants on either side.
This report follows a similar claim published minutes earlier by Kan 11, reporting that senior White House officials met with a senior Hamas official — a thread The Zioneer covered at 22:11 tonight. The current report names al-Hayya specifically but remains unattributed and unconfirmed by any official Israeli or American source.
The development, if verified, would mark the first known direct contact between the Trump administration and Hamas leadership, a dramatic departure from longstanding US policy that designates Hamas as a terrorist organization and bars direct engagement. Washington has historically insisted that any dealings with Hamas must be mediated through third parties such as Qatar or Egypt.
The claim also comes amid a pattern of unverified reports about secret diplomatic contacts involving Hamas, including an earlier report of French officials meeting with Hamas representatives, and a recent Knesset committee session probing suspected contacts between an Israeli MK and Hamas leadership. The Zioneer has tracked these reports as single-source, unverified claims.
As of publication, no official confirmation or denial has been issued by the White House, the State Department, or Hamas.
3 developments
- DevelopingRevised Palestinian proposal on Gaza disarmament reported by Asharq Al-Awsat
- StrongHamas receives revised Gaza weapons-disposal plan backed by US envoys, sources say
- StrongUS denies report that talks with Hamas are stalled, says talks on schedule
- StrongDiplomats say Gaza ceasefire deal unlikely before Israeli elections, US official pushes for Hamas disarmament first
Source and signal
- Internal intake