US consulted Israel before direct talks with Hamas: White House

The US consulted Israel before engaging in unprecedented direct talks with Hamas in recent weeks, the White House press secretary said on Wednesday.

"The special envoy who's engaged in those negotiations does have the authority to talk to anyone," Karoline Leavitt told reporters. "Israel was consulted on this matter, and look -  dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what's in the best interest of the American people is something that the president... believes is [a] good faith effort to do what's right for the American people."

Asked if the discussions only revolve around the captives with American citizenship or also Trump's offer to take ownership of Gaza, Leavitt responded: "These are ongoing talks and discussions. I am not going to detail them here."