Scoop: Hamas approached pro-Trump activist for secret talks that freed Edan Alexander

The backchannel talks that led to the release of Edan Alexander began with a message from a Hamas official to Bishara Bahbah, the former leader of "Arab Americans for Trump," two Israeli officials, one Palestinian official and one U.S. official tell Axios.Why it matters: Hamas was seeking a way to convince President Trump to put more pressure on Israel, and Trump's team was intent on freeing the last living American held in Gaza. Bahbah, a Palestinian-American businessman who helped Trump make inroads with Arab voters in 2024, became the unlikely intermediary.The intrigue: A Hamas official outside Gaza reached out to Bahbah in late April in hopes of striking up a dialogue with Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.It took time for that backchannel to materialize, but it gained momentum last week, a senior Israeli official tells Axios. Around 20 messages were passed between the sides in calls and texts to Bahbah over the last two weeks. Bahbah also spoke to Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, according to a source familiar. Bahbah declined to comment.Witkoff, with help from Qatari officials and Bahbah, ultimately convinced the militant group that releasing Alexander "for free" would carry a lot of weight with Trump.Driving the news: Around 10pm Doha time on Sunday, Hamas formally agreed to release Alexander. Then Witkoff called Alexander's parents to tell them the news they had waited 583 days to hear. "It was a very emotional call from both sides," Edan's father Adi told AxiosFriction point: Israel found out about the secret talks about Alexander, an IDF soldier, not from the White House but from its own intelligence services, two Israeli officials tell Axios.When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-hand-man Ron Dermer was in Washington last Thursday, his American counterparts didn't mention the backchannel. Dermer had to raise it himself with Witkoff, an Israeli official said.Witkoff confirmed to Dermer that talks were taking place but made clear Israel wouldn't have to give anything in return for Alexander's release, and that Hamas hadn't said yes yet. Flashback: Alexander's release was previously at the center of the unprecedented direct negotiations between Trump's hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Hamas leaders in Qatar in March.The Israeli government also learned about those talks from its intelligence services, who were spying on Hamas.At the time, Trump was seeking a deal to free Alexander before his State of the Union address, and Hamas was demanding the release of 250 prisoners held in Israel in exchange.Those talks hit a dead end three hours before Trump's speech. To this day, Trump's advisers believe Netanyahu's aides leaked it to the press in order to sabotage it.Witkoff floated a similar proposal three weeks later under which Hamas would release Alexander and Trump would publicly call for a temporary ceasefire and talks on a comprehensive deal. Hamas refused.Over the next several weeks, Israel gradually expanded its ground incursions into Gaza, increased its air strikes and continued to block the entry of all humanitarian aid.Zoom in: On April 22, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani visited the White House and met Witkoff and Trump.He raised a proposal supported by Hamas for a comprehensive deal to release all hostages and end the war, but the U.S. message was that a shorter-term partial deal was the only game in town.When he returned to Doha, al-Thani told that to Hamas and encouraged them to make a gesture to Trump that could shift his position, the officials said.Days later, the Hamas official reached out to Bahbah. Behind the scenes: On Sunday, while he was holding talks with Iran's foreign minister in Muscat on a possible nuclear deal, Witkoff also worked the phones with Qatar's prime minister to press Hamas to seal the deal. According to a Palestinian official, the Trump administration told Hamas that if Alexander was released the U.S. would push for a 70 to 90-day ceasefire — longer than previous offers — in return for the release of 10 hostages.Negotiations on a final deal would also begin during the ceasefire, and the U.S., Qatar and Egypt would guarantee the war wouldn't resume as long they continued, the official said of the offer. The U.S. side has not confirmed those details.When Hamas agreed to free Alexander, Witkoff called Netanyahu and Dermer in addition to Alexander's family.What they're saying: A senior U.S. official told Axios the Qatari prime minister "delivered here in convincing Hamas to finish" the deal, while Netanyahu also "heavily participated" and his military campaign was "instrumental."The senior U.S. official downplayed Bishara's role, saying "he was involved but tangentially."Between the lines: When Trump spoke to Netanyahu on Monday, he didn't press him to end the war or cancel the massive ground operation in Gaza that Israel plans to launch once Trump's trip ends, two Israeli officials said. A U.S. official with direct knowledge of the call declined to comment"Hamas did't get any commitments from Trump. They hoped to get him to be more on their side, but it seems it didn't work," an Israeli official said.Another Israeli official said Hamas took a calculated risk: "They knew they will only get something between U.S. sympathy and a clear statement by Trump. But it was worth it for them to take that chance."Trump, who has been frustrated at times by Netanyahu's intransigence, could still decide to apply more pressure at some point soon.What to watch: Witkoff and Israeli negotiators will travel to Doha on Tuesday to resume talks on the broader Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Israeli officials think the chances for a breakthrough are slim, with both parties entrenched in their positions. "We told Witkoff he has four days to get a deal. Afterwards we are going in," one Israeli official said.

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