Trump administration’s direct talks with Hamas break an old taboo

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/03/06/hamas-talks-trump-gaza-netanyahu/

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not informed of the talks before they took place and was caught off guard, said an Israeli with knowledge of the matter.

Netanyahu was not informed of the talks through official channels before they took place and was caught off guard, said an Israeli with knowledge of the matter. Separately, an Israeli official said that if Trump were to secure the release of U.S. hostages but not Israeli citizens, the issue could cause embarrassment for the prime minister domestically. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details.

“Any negotiation, mainly direct negotiation, provides Hamas with a broader layout or space of maneuver as well as legitimacy. Furthermore, it enables Hamas to manipulate and play between Israel and the U.S.,” said Kobi Michael, a former head of the Palestinian desk at Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs and now a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv.