Washington considering unilateral negotiations with Hamas to release Americans

U.S. officials are considering holding unilateral talks with the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) to reach a deal to release five hostages held by the movement in Gaza after ceasefire talks including Israel failed, NBC News reported on Monday.
The report, based on statements from two current and former U.S. officials, said it was unclear what the United States might offer Hamas in return.

The United States says Hamas took five Americans hostage during an October 7 attack on southern Israel, prompting Israel to respond with a massive military operation. Officials hope to recover the remains of three other Americans who were killed that day, NBC News reported.
“The best, most effective way to get everybody back home, including the American hostages, is through this proposal, through a ceasefire that is on the table right now,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said when asked about the report as he left Cairo.
The unnamed officials, who were briefed on the talks, added to NBC that any unilateral talks would not include Israel and would be conducted through Qatari negotiators. The officials said Hamas may be motivated to reach such a deal with Washington because it would further strain U.S.-Israel relations and increase pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been criticized at home for not doing more to free the hostages.

Anger at the Israeli government
Relatedly, a week after officials announced her husband’s captivity in the Gaza Strip, former hostage Tammy Metzger expressed her anger at the Israeli government, hoping it would stop the war.
“If the government had stopped the war, Yoram would still be alive,” said Metzger, 79, who is also detained in the Gaza Strip. “I’m angry,” she told AFP. “They are heartless.”
Last week, the Israeli army announced that it had killed four hostages held in the Gaza Strip, including Yoram Metzger (80).
Last Saturday, the Israeli army announced that it had “released” four hostages during a military operation in the Nusserat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, filling the hearts of Israelis with joy.
According to the Hamas Health Ministry in the besieged area, the operation left more than 270 people dead and hundreds injured.
Metzger made no secret of her displeasure with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who “rushed to congratulate” the hostages on their release.
She added that “when we were released … not a single minister came,” nor did any minister speak to her.
Tammy Metzger was one of the hostages released during a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas last November.
Netanyahu visited the freed hostages in hospital on Saturday evening and issued a statement praising their return and congratulating the security forces for their action.
During the visit, Tammy’s daughter-in-law Ayala Metzger was among the demonstrators who have been protesting weekly in Tel Aviv, demanding a deal to free the hostages and “topple the government.”