Uncertain Fate of American Hostages Amid Stalled Negotiations

Negotiations for the release of more hostages from Gaza, which collapsed on Friday, are not expected to resume soon, according to several senior administration officials. This leaves the fate of several Americans, who are believed to have been kidnapped by Hamas, uncertain.

The White House has reported that one American woman and seven men are still missing after Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. Since the beginning of the war, four Americans have been released. All of them are believed to be dual Israeli-American citizens.

The negotiations have come to a standstill, with no sign of them resuming in the near future, according to several high-ranking officials in the administration.

As of Monday, the main reason for the deadlock remains the same, said one senior administration official: Hamas is unwilling to release a remaining group of female hostages, and Israel is not willing to consider moving on to discuss the release of male hostages.

The administration is unlikely to negotiate separately for the release of American citizens, similar to the efforts made by the Thai and Russian governments for hostages from their nations. A second senior administration official dismissed the possibility of Hamas doing the US any "special favor." National security adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the US is doing "everything in our power" to secure the release of hostages from Hamas.

Despite the breakdown of formal talks in Doha, Qatar, Sullivan informed CNN that there are still "intensive discussions" among the US, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt on the most effective strategy to secure the release of all hostages. He emphasized that while the priority for the United States is the safe return of American hostages, efforts are being made to address the situation comprehensively.

Regarding the possibility of a separate deal to secure the release of dual American citizens, Sullivan mentioned that discussions with the president about all available options are ongoing. However, he refrained from providing additional details, citing the sensitivity of ongoing diplomatic discussions.

Israel withdrew its negotiators from Qatar on Saturday, accusing Hamas of failing to fulfill its part of the agreement, which involved the release of all women and children held hostage. Following the end of negotiations, Hamas placed the responsibility for ending the dialogue on Israel and the United States. With the war resuming, it is uncertain what could bring about the cessation of hostilities and reinvigorate hostage talks.

The Israel Defense Forces have conducted over 400 strikes within the first 24 hours of renewed fighting on Friday, and have announced an expansion of ground operations to all of Gaza on Sunday. According to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza, more than 15,800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks since October 7.

According to Israeli and US officials, Hamas is reportedly refusing to release a number of women, aged 20-30, who were taken from the Nova music festival, claiming that these women are considered soldiers. One official stated that this refusal is "totally unacceptable" in light of "credible allegations of sexual violence linked to Hamas and the October 7 atrocities."

According to State Department spokesman Matt Miller, Hamas's refusal to release female hostages may be due to their desire to prevent the women from speaking about their experiences while in captivity. However, Miller stated that he could not confirm this as the definitive reason for Hamas's actions. Meanwhile, Israeli police are gathering evidence of rape committed by Hamas members against women and girls during the group's attack on Israel on October 7, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and over 240 hostages.

Miller confirmed reports of sexual violence and rape committed by Hamas, expressing very little doubt about the treatment of civilians, especially women. Last month, 105 primarily women and children were released by Hamas as part of a truce deal negotiated with foreign mediation. In return, Israel released 240 Palestinians, with a ratio of about three Palestinians for every woman and child held in Gaza, many of whom had been detained in Israel without being charged.

The Israel Defense Forces reported on Friday that 136 hostages, including 17 women and children, are still being held in Gaza. It remains uncertain how many of them are being held by Hamas as opposed to other militant groups in the region.

This report includes contributions from CNN's Haley Britzky, Tamar Michaelis, Joshua Berlinger, and Jack Forrest.

This story has been updated with additional details.