Trump hostage envoy dismisses report of Israel abandonment threat as 'fake news'

FIRST ON FOX: In an exclusive interrogation with Fox News Digital astatine the yearly Jerusalem Post Conference successful New York, Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler responded to a Washington Post study that claimed President Donald Trump threatened to wantonness Israel unless the warfare ended arsenic "fake news." 

"That sounds similar fake quality to me," helium said. "I deliberation the president has maintained a precise precocious grade of enactment for Israel." He added, "He whitethorn beryllium saying, 'Hey, listen, let’s effort to extremity the war,' helium mightiness talk strongly, but I deliberation American president, successful particular, this president's support, President Trump’s enactment for Israel is ironclad."

Separately, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee besides rejected the claim. In an interrogation with Israel's Ynet, helium said, "Their reporting is nonsense. They request to perceive to what the President says - not what immoderate uninformed 'source' pretends to know.'"

ISRAELI AMBASSADOR LASHES OUT AT UN OFFICIAL, CONDEMNS UK, FRANCE, CANADA STATEMENT ON AID

United States Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler spoke astatine The Annual Jerusalem Post Conference successful New York City connected Monday, May 19, erstwhile helium said a woody to instrumentality Israeli hostages is "closer than we ever were." (Credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)

Boehler emphasized that the U.S. government's superior absorption remains connected securing the merchandise of the 58 hostages inactive held by Hamas. "I deliberation there's evidently continued backmost and forth. The President made it precise wide that helium wants thing to travel to conclusion."

"I cognize that helium and Steve [Witkoff] are moving precise hard close present to effort to bring that home. So, a precise fluid situation, but our superior absorption is fig one, the hostages, and fig two, Israel’s security," helium said.

On the humanitarian situation successful Gaza, Boehler addressed the caller improvement of opening borders to let assistance trucks into Gaza aft 2 months of a blockade. He besides discussed the caller U.S.-backed mechanics that could perchance regenerate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). 

"Perhaps determination needs to beryllium a replacement for UNRWA. We’ve had a batch of issues with the U.N. And if this works, if it gets nutrient to the Palestinian radical who request it, past I greatly favour it," Boehler said.

Later, successful an interrogation connected signifier astatine the Jerusalem Post conference, Boehler recalled the tense moments surrounding the merchandise of American-Israeli worker Edan Alexander. "It’s an unbelievable moment. It was an unbelievable infinitesimal connected Sunday. The full time, we couldn’t sleep. It was exciting, nerve-wracking. We watched beauteous overmuch real-time. We were waiting for Steve Witkoff to come. We were waiting the full clip for the Red Cross. When the chopper landed, we saw it connected TV. That archetypal telephone telephone was unbelievable. It was close connected Mother’s Day erstwhile we went over. It had a batch of meaning — for me, Steve, and everybody."

ISRAEL TURNS TABLES ON UN OFFICIAL CLAIMING 'GENOCIDE' IN GAZA WITH BASIC QUESTIONS

U.S. Special Envoy Adam Boehler and U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff met with the families of hostages for astir 2 hours successful Tel Aviv connected Tuesday. (Paulina Patimer)

As for the timeframe for the hostage deal, Boehler expressed cautious optimism: "I deliberation it's getting person and person to making a woody here. If Hamas wants to travel guardant and marque a morganatic offer, they’re consenting to basal by and merchandise hostages, we’re ever unfastened to that." 

He besides credited the caller Israeli crushed operations for expanding unit connected Hamas, saying, "I bash deliberation we’re person than we ever were. Part of that is due to the fact that of the question of Israel and the IDF connected the ground."

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Finally, addressing the caller associated connection from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada, which condemned Israel’s subject operations successful Gaza and called for an contiguous ceasefire, Boehler responded firmly. "The United States has ever been a fervent protagonist of Israel. If I were a European country, I'd beryllium peculiarly delicate successful however I knock Israel."