The US government says it continues to work on an agreement to release many hostages in the Gaza Strip. “I don’t want to negotiate in public, but we believe we are getting closer to a solution,” said National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby at the White House today. There is nothing new to announce at this time – we are working “hour by hour” on a solution.
Kirby repeated previous U.S. statements that they were closer to a deal than ever before. He did not say how many hostages could be affected by such a deal. “But of course we (…) want above all to achieve the liberation of children and women and, of course, the liberation of Americans.” But it’s best to say as little as possible publicly, Kirby said.
Terrorists from the Islamic group Hamas and other groups kidnapped around 240 hostages to the Gaza Strip in massacres and attacks in Israel on October 7. The Gulf state of Qatar plays an important mediation role in negotiations to release the hostages.