US Envoy Adam Boehler on negotiations with Hamas for hostage release

US Envoy for hostages Adam Boehler spoke with “Fox News Sunday” host Shannon Bream about negotiations with Hamas to return the hostages safely to their home countries.

“Where can you give us an update this morning?” Bream asked.

“I think they were productive talks. They identified some opportunity to come together,” Boehler said.

“I think they provided some very interesting views there in the discussions,” Boehler continued.

“Hamas did orient toward a long-term truce, as they called it. A truce where they would be disarmed, a truce where they would not be part of the political policy, and a truce where we would ensure that they are in a place where they can’t hurt Israel,” Boehler said.

Bream also asked Boehler how discussions took place with such an organization that is extremely violent.

“How difficult is it to sit down with the leaders of an organization that torture, that murder people?” Bream asked.

“Do you worry that having direct conversations with them gives this group any kind of veneer of respectability or legitimacy on the world stage?” Bream asked.

“Dialogue does not mean giving things. Dialogue does not mean giving millions or billions of dollars like the prior administration did. Dialogue means sitting, hearing what someone wants and identifying does it fit with what we want or not. And then how can we get somewhere in the middle and not have a war,” Boehler said.

Boehler also explained that President Trump is trying to avoid war and promote peace.

“As he constantly says, he doesn’t want war. War is a last resort. He wants a peaceful world. And so, what I am trying to do is say one, how can I get our hostages out as soon as possible. I feel every single day when they are not out, and then how do you create the circumstances to stop this war,” Boehler said.

Boehler also told Bream that all hostages were critical in the negotiations even after American hostages would be released.

“Can you speak to that concern?” Bream asked regarding Israel’s concern about their hostages too.

“I discussed that with the President, and the President has been very clear, that is all hostages and so I will say, when you think about my job, my job is to get all hostages home there because the job was given to me by the President. And I take my orders from the President of the United States,” Boehler said.