US hostage envoy urges Hamas to ‘take the deal’ with Israel

Adam Boehler, U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs, on Sunday urged Hamas to “take the deal” on the table with Israel and to move forward toward peace.

In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Boehler said that the current deal on the table — where Hamas releases at least 10 remaining hostages in exchange for a path to peace — is the “best they’re going to get.”

“We need to get the other hostages out. And then what we have done is, we have said, ‘Hey, there's a firm pathway to negotiate peace.’ That's the best they're going to get. And they should take on the offer, take the offer that's there. They haven't in the past,” Boehler said.

“Every single time they don't take it, it goes down and goes down and goes down. So, my recommendation to Hamas would be, take the deal that Israel, that the United States is offering you. Let's get some people home. And let's move to end this conflict,” he continued.

Boehler said he is “optimistic” about an agreement with Hamas, especially after Israel’s military action in Iran, “there’s a new sense of ability to get something done.”

“The Israelis want something done. Now, I will tell you, because I have been with them, Hamas is very hardheaded. They have been offered many things that they should take, and it's time for Hamas to release the hostages,” he said.

“So I'm more optimistic than I was because all of those factors are there. We have got an A-team negotiating it. Now what I really want to see is Hamas take action. And if they don't, I will tell you something, Israel's going to have to take some kinetic action,” he added.

Efforts to reach a 60-day ceasefire have continued in Qatar, but international reports indicate talks have hit a standstill.

Trump has increased pressure on Israel to work towards brokering a ceasefire with Hamas. Boehler, in the interview, described Hamas as “hardheaded” and said “Israel at this point is bending over backwards” to strike a deal.