U.S. hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler has drawn criticism from Israeli officials after stating that “the United States is not Israel’s agent” regarding negotiations with Hamas. Senior Israeli officials told the Times of Israel they were shocked by Boehler’s remarks. The statement came amid ongoing discussions mediated by Qatar and Egypt, focusing on securing the release of American hostages in Gaza. Boehler stressed that the ultimate goal remains the release of all captives.