US says hostage talks have been ‘productive’ in recent days, but gaps remain

WASHINGTON — US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller says hostage talks have been “productive” in recent days and that the mediators are working on closing remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas.

However, he stresses during a press briefing that the sides have been this close to a deal before, only for the talks to blow up.

Miller says a very small number of differences between Israel and Hamas and the gaps are bridgeable.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan during meetings last week that they should use whatever influence they have over Hamas to secure a deal, Miller says, adding that Fidan later reported back to the secretary that they have done so and that Qatar and Egypt are also leaning on the terror group to agree to a deal.

Arab mediators have told The Times of Israel that the main obstacle remains whether the ceasefire being negotiated will be permanent or temporary, with Israel insisting that it be allowed to return to fighting after the first phase of the deal, while Hamas wants the IDF to permanently withdraw.

Miller says the US is pushing as hard as it can to secure a deal, but that it will be incumbent on Hamas and Israel to bring the agreement across the finish line.