The United States has indicated a willingness to engage in a bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia without Israel.

 

A senior US official has issued a rare sharp criticism of Israel’s approach to hostage negotiations, warning that the US is ready to finalise a regional deal with Saudi Arabia even if Israel does not participate, Israeli media outlet N12 reported.

The US official made the remarks at a meeting with families of Hamas hostages on Monday night. Several people who attended the meeting said Washington was increasingly frustrated with Israel’s role in the stalled talks.

The official said that if they had paid the price for not ending the war so far, the price would be much higher for Israel today — and not just for the hostages.

He added that President Trump is determined to move forward with a major deal with Saudi Arabia, even if Israel is not there. The ceasefire with the Houthis is a preparation for it, and if Israel is not careful, the “Deal of the Millennium” will be without Israel.

The meeting was called to break the deadlock over the release of the hostages. Families of those held in Gaza had hoped the meeting would increase international pressure to move the talks forward.

The US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ongoing military operation was a threat to the hostages’ lives — a position that contradicts the current Israeli government’s position, which believes in military pressure to achieve concessions.

The official said the US is prioritizing its relationship with Saudi Arabia in its strategic restructuring process.

“We hope Israel will board this historic train that has already left the station,” he said. “But the US will not wait.”

The statement reportedly alarmed the hostages’ families. They said it was not just the message but the change in US tone that worried them most — because they have long viewed the US as an unconditional ally.

If the deal is finalized without Israel, the Trump administration says, it would be a major step not only toward deterring Iran but also toward stabilizing the entire region — and Jerusalem would have to be left out of that process.