“We’re the United States. We’re not an agent of Israel.” — Adam Boehler How Israel’s Actions Derailed Trump’s Hostage Return Deal In December 2024, President Donald Trump appointed Adam Boehler as Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. His mission: bring American hostages home. Boehler’s immediate goal was the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander and the return of four others’ remains. With White House approval, he entered direct talks with Hamas in early 2025. To widespread surprise, those talks showed rapid progress. Hamas offered to release the hostages within weeks, disarm, exit politics, and pursue a full prisoner exchange. “We’re close,” Boehler tweeted. Israel discovered the negotiations via Unit 8200, its signals intelligence unit, according to journalist Ronen Bergman citing a senior U.S diplomatic source. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer then launched what Bergman’s source called a “crazy campaign” to sabotage the talks. News of the negotiations soon leaked to U.S. media and Republican circles. The White House initially backed Boehler. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt affirmed that the President “fully backs and supports Boehler,” who “has the authority to talk to anyone.” Boehler told reporters: “You could see something like a long-term truce—where we forgive prisoners, where Hamas lays down their arms, where they agree that they’re not part of the political party going forward. I think that’s a reality that’s real close.” But by March 2025, Israel’s campaign to derail the talks escalated. Boehler became the target of coordinated attacks. One editorial called him Trump’s “complacent, confused, and dangerously naive hostage envoy.” On March 15, Boehler withdrew as envoy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed the initiative, claiming the talks “bore no fruit.” Three days later, Israel unilaterally ended the ceasefire with massive overnight bombings across Gaza, killing over 400 people. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas said the strikes had “zero military significance [and] no political end.” A U.S. intelligence source told Bergman: “It became clear Netanyahu and Dermer are afraid it’ll suddenly be obvious who wants a deal and who doesn’t.” “It’s a completely fucked up world if the administration has to fight off attempts by Netanyahu, Dermer, and the whole gang,” the official added. “Hard to believe, but we want to do more than the Israeli government to free the hostages.” Boehler was reassigned to Afghanistan, where two U.S. hostages were freed on March 21 and 29. Meanwhile, the death toll in Gaza surpassed 52,000, and no further prisoner exchanges have taken place since Israel resumed bombing on March 18.