The administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to calm tensions with Israel, against the backdrop of direct talks held by US envoy for prisoner affairs, Adam Boehler, with Hamas, over the past two weeks, in an attempt to reach understandings regarding prisoners held in Gaza.

This came according to what was reported by the political correspondent for the Israeli website "Walla" and the American website "Axios", on Monday evening, who indicated that Tel Aviv avoided directing public criticism of these talks or of Boehler himself, but it conveyed "angry messages" to the White House through undisclosed channels.

During the Israeli cabinet meeting on Sunday evening, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer, who is close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed that Boehler's direct talks with Hamas "do not reflect the position of the Trump administration," according to an informed American official.

Dermer claimed that Israel had received assurances from Washington that "this will not happen again," noting that the US president's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, would be the only channel for negotiating over the prisoners, without clarifying whether this would be done directly or through mediators.

White House: Trump was aware of Boehler's negotiations with Hamas

In contrast, the report quoted White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt as saying that US President Trump was aware of the talks that Boehler had with Hamas leaders, and stressed that the US President "fully supports Boehler" in these negotiating efforts.

In a related context, an Israeli delegation headed to Doha on Monday to hold a new round of negotiations on a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The US envoy, Witkoff, is scheduled to join the talks on Tuesday in an attempt to push the parties towards an agreement.

An Israeli official said Witkov told them that "if there is seriousness in the negotiations, he is willing to stay in Doha for 3-4 days to try to reach a deal." In a television interview he gave before his visit to the region, Witkov stressed the need to set a "deadline" for the negotiations.

"The main point is that Hamas must give up its weapons, not rearm, leave all its weapons on the ground and leave Gaza. I don't see any other option for them but to leave. And if they leave Gaza, all options will be on the table," he said.

Israeli delegation begins negotiations in Doha without mandate to discuss ceasefire

According to the Israeli official, Witkov will not meet with Hamas leadership "for free," but will require a "tangible concession" from the movement for him to agree to meet with them.

In turn, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation ("Kan 11") reported on Monday evening that the Israeli delegation that had left for Doha had not received a mandate to discuss stopping the war on Gaza, and noted that it consisted of only a technical team, including a senior official in the Shin Bet referred to by the letter "M."

She said that the talks that the Israeli delegation will hold will begin tonight (Monday - Tuesday), adding that it also includes the coordinator of prisoners and missing persons affairs in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, Gal Hirsch, along with a number of specialists from Mossad, Shin Bet, and the Israeli army.

According to "Kan 11", due to the month of Ramadan, the negotiations are being held in the late hours of the night and continue until dawn. The US envoy, Witkoff, is expected to return to Doha on Tuesday to push the talks forward.

Bowler: America is not a 'proxy' for Israel

According to the Walla report, Boehler held at least two rounds of talks with Hamas leaders in Doha, including a meeting with the movement's head of negotiating team, Khalil al-Hayya. Boehler stressed in television interviews on Sunday that he did not only discuss the release of Israeli prisoners with American citizenship.

He said he "also discussed a broader deal that would include all hostages and a 5-10 year truce between Israel and Hamas," and Boehler acknowledged that he "understands Israeli concerns" about his talks with Hamas, but stressed that "the United States is not a proxy for Israel" and that it has "its own interests."

In an interview with Israel’s Channel 13, Boehler was asked about reports of a heated exchange between him and Dermer, a close Netanyahu adviser, last week. “Honestly, I don’t care much about it, with all due respect to Dermer,” he said. “If every tension between me and him was going to be a big problem, he would have big problems almost every day.”

For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Monday evening, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, that the talks held by Boehler with Hamas were a "one-time", stressing that they "have not borne fruit" so far.

Rubio added that the main channel for negotiating a prisoner swap and ceasefire remains through the US envoy to the Middle East, Witkoff, via Qatari mediation.