Trump administration officials met with Hamas leaders in a secure compound in Qatar three times in March, the New York Times reported today (Thursday).

According to the report, the officials presented Hamas officials with proposals for the release of American hostage Edan Alexander, but all talks failed.

According to four sources familiar with the details of the talks, Adam Boehler, the special envoy for hostage affairs, tried to get Hamas to agree to the release of Edan Alexander so that President Trump could announce it during his speech to Congress last onth. Negotiations continued even as Trump arrived at the Capitol, but were unable to conclude before his speech, so the president mentioned the Gaza hostage issue only briefly.

The March talks highlighted the Trump administration’s approach to trying to free hostages through a deal. According to the report, the talks failed due to “furious Israeli opposition, Hamas’s hesitation and the Trump administration’s shifting position.”

It was also reported that during their stay at the compound, the senior officials discussed the October 7 massacre and the Arab-Israeli conflict, while eating knafeh with freshly squeezed orange juice.