WASHINGTON — The White House confirmed Wednesday that American officials have engaged in direct talks with Hamas — despite a longtime US policy of not engaging with terrorists.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the contacts at a press briefing — framing it as a way to accomplish American aims in Israel’s 17-month war against the Gaza Strip-based Islamists.

“The special envoy who’s engaged in this negotiation does have the authority to talk to anyone. Israel was consulted on this matter,” Leavitt said, in reference to President Trump’s hostage envoy Adam Boehler.

“Dialogue and talking to people around the world to do what’s in the best interests of the American people is something that the president has proven is what he believes is a good faith effort to do what’s right for the American people.”

At least one American-citizen hostage — Edan Alexander, 21 — is believed to remain alive following the abductions that took place during Hamas terrorists’ Oct. 7, 2023, rampage that triggered Israel’s invasion, which halted with a cease-fire agreement in January.

Alexander, a graduate of New Jersey’s Tenafly High School, was serving in the Israeli military when he was captured and therefore was not released in the initial stages of the cease-fire implementation. 

Trump Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff also participated in the recent talks with Hamas, Al Arabiya reports.

Axios first reported on the unprecedented US-Hamas communications earlier Wednesday.

That outlet reported that Boehler met with Hamas officials in Doha, Qatar, “in recent weeks” and that Witkoff ultimately canceled a planned Tuesday night trip to the Persian Gulf emirate when talks faltered.

The US has historically used Qatari and Egyptian officials as intermediaries when dealing with Iran-backed Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007.

Trump, 78, has proposed clearing out the Gaza Strip of its roughly 2 million inhabitants to allow for a massive US-led rebuilding process that he said would culminate in the creation of the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

The president has said that he hopes Gazans won’t want to ever return.

Hamas agreed to a cease-fire with Israel mere days before Trump re-entered the White House. The Republican has repeatedly threatened to unleash “hell” on the group if it didn’t reach a hostage-release deal by the time he took power.

Leavitt would not say Wednesday if the talks also broached Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of the Gaza Strip.

“These are ongoing talks and discussions,” she said. “I’m not going to detail them here. There are American lives at stake. I would defer you to the Department of State for further details, but I’m not going to get into those talks.”