Live Update
From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 17, 2025
Senior Biden administration official downplays apparent delay of deal’s finalization
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
A senior Biden administration official downplays apparent delays in finalization of the hostage release and ceasefire deal
“We consider the hostage deal done and agreed, and are now simply awaiting Israel’s formal approval procedures which begin tomorrow [Friday],” the official tells The Times of Israel.
A source familiar with the matter says the Biden administration wants the deal authorized as quickly as possible and believes that Netanyahu has the votes for the hostage deal to pass both security cabinet and full cabinet votes over the weekend.