[Text/Observer Network Qi Qian] Israel has yet to cease its military operations in Gaza, and recently even obstructed humanitarian aid from entering Gaza and fired at diplomatic missions in the West Bank, drawing unanimous condemnation from the international community, including Western countries.

American Cable News Network (CNN) reported on May 21 that in fact, US President Trump had become impatient with Israel.

It was reported that this week, the United States has been negotiating directly with Hamas through an American intermediary in Doha, hoping to facilitate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza. According to multiple sources, Trump and his senior aides have increasingly expressed dissatisfaction with Israel and have repeatedly expressed frustration over the slow progress of the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, fundamentally because Trump hopes for an end to the war as soon as possible.

"The U.S. is now in direct contact with Hamas."

A source familiar with the matter told CNN that recent talks between the U.S. and Hamas were handled by Bishara Bahbah, an American-Palestinian. It was introduced that Bahbah led the "Arab-American Support for Trump" organization during the 2024 presidential campaign and has since represented the U.S. government in its work.

Bishara Bahbah, U.S. media material photo

The source said that earlier this year, Bahbah exchanged information remotely with Hamas, which became a key secret channel ensuring the release of Israeli hostage Eitan Alexander.

According to reports by the British Daily Telegraph, at the end of April, Bahbah received a call from a senior member of Hamas requesting him to convey a message to Steve Wittekov, appointed by Trump as the Middle East envoy. At that time, Gazi Hamad, a member of Hamas's political leadership in Doha, stated in the phone call that Hamas was willing to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for a permanent ceasefire.

Bahbah told Israel’s Channel 12 that he then called Wittekov. “Obviously, if I were in Wittekov's position, I would say to myself, ‘Who is he to talk to me?’ I understand that.” But Wittekov did answer the call.

In addition, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas are set to begin in Doha on local time 24th, and working-level dialogues are still ongoing.

It was reported that at a time when Trump was increasingly dissatisfied with the progress of the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, strengthening contacts between the Trump administration and Hamas might allow U.S. officials to better understand Hamas's stance. In the past, the U.S. has always communicated indirectly with Hamas through Qatar and Egypt.

It was reported that Bahbah has been coordinating with Wittekov, who also maintains direct contact with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his aides. An official said that Wittekov recently proposed a plan to both Israel and Hamas, which may serve as the basis for their agreement to cease fire again.

Is Trump becoming increasingly dissatisfied with Israel?

Dennis Ross, a researcher at the Near East Policy Institute and former U.S. Middle East envoy, said, "This shows that they (the Trump administration) believe real negotiations are underway. They want their own Hamas channel, not through Qatar or Egypt. This indicates they believe they can solve problems more effectively and influence Hamas."

Other regional experts are skeptical about whether this channel will bring breakthroughs, given Bahbah's limited experience and the fact that Hamas decision-makers are based in Gaza. However, they also believe that this at least shows Trump's willingness to take action on the Palestinian issue.

"I'm not sure if this is a sign of despair or confusion," said Aaron David Miller, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, "Maybe they see Bahbah as a window to understand Hamas's thoughts, which is certainly possible."

CNN reported that Trump and his senior aides' growing dissatisfaction with Israel ultimately boils down to one key issue: Trump wants the war to end as soon as possible. Multiple sources said that Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration with the pace of the negotiations, fearing that Netanyahu is not yet ready to reach an agreement with Hamas.

"The president clearly wants an agreement," a person close to Trump told CNN, "but it is becoming increasingly clear that Bibi (Netanyahu) is not yet fully ready to reach an agreement."

Recently, the Gaza Strip saw renewed hostilities, with Israeli forces attacking refugee camps. Visual China

It was mentioned in the report that Israel once again launched attacks on Gaza. Meanwhile, there were reports that U.S. Vice President Vance decided not to visit Israel this weekend after visiting Italy. Sources said that part of the reason Vance made this decision was logistical considerations, but partly because his visit might be seen as recognition of Israel's attacks.

However, sources warned that Trump's disappointment does not mean a change in the U.S.'s supportive stance toward Israel; he still considers Israel one of America's strongest allies. One of the sources said that Trump did not privately pressure Israel to stop its renewed military operations in the Gaza Strip.

In addition, Max Brustein, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, denied in a response statement that Israel's actions had caused Trump's dissatisfaction, calling such claims "absolutely false."

Brustein said, "Israel's best friend is Trump. We will continue to closely cooperate with our ally Israel to ensure the release of remaining hostages in Gaza, ensure Iran never obtains nuclear weapons, and ensure every opportunity to promote regional economic prosperity is utilized."

"Israel's interests are far from being Trump's top priority."

It was reported that in recent months, Trump has shown a willingness to take U.S. foreign policy actions without directly following Israel's wishes. For example, the U.S. announced a ceasefire with the Yemeni Houthi rebels, excluding strikes against Israel. The U.S. continues to negotiate the Iranian agreement, while Israel pushes for strikes against Iran's nuclear program.

"A series of recent actions show that Trump will do what he believes is in America's interest, and Israel's considerations are not his primary concern," Ross said, "This does not necessarily mean a break with Israel, but rather efforts made for America's interests."

CNN also said that the Trump administration always prioritizes U.S. interests, focusing on efforts to ensure a ceasefire in Gaza.

A senior official said that the U.S. hopes humanitarian aid can continue to enter Gaza, but Israel has blocked aid from entering Gaza for 11 weeks. U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said on the 20th that Israel "can achieve its goal of defeating Hamas while still allowing enough aid to enter."

CNN mentioned that several weeks ago, Hamas released an American hostage, which satisfied Trump. Since then, they have not cut off the communication channel between Hamas and Bahbah but instead enhanced communication levels, agreeing to face-to-face talks in Doha.

A White House official revealed that "there is a general belief within the White House that the release of that hostage was a gesture of goodwill" and viewed this move as a critical opportunity to bring Israel and Hamas back to the negotiation table. But just days later, the Israeli army re-entered northern and southern Gaza, which did not convince U.S. officials that a ceasefire agreement was imminent.

But sources familiar with the matter said that Trump's dissatisfaction with Netanyahu began even before the renewed outbreak of war. One example is that before Netanyahu's planned meeting with Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, Netanyahu met privately with then-White House National Security Advisor Wolz at the White House to discuss military options against Iran.

In February, Netanyahu visited the White House and gave Trump a golden pager. Video screenshot

It was reported that this meeting was considered a key point of Trump's dissatisfaction with Wolz, who was later dismissed. Trump also believed that Netanyahu's action was an attempt to influence Wolz on sensitive topics before discussing them with himself, which infuriated Trump.

It is worth noting that on May 13, Trump embarked on a visit to three Middle Eastern countries, and Israel, a traditional U.S. ally, was not included in the itinerary, drawing public attention. The Times of Israel reported at the time that through this visit, Trump was significantly elevating the status of Gulf states, which in some sense also means that in Trump's consideration, Israel's regional importance has decreased.

This article is an exclusive contribution by the Observer Network, and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

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