White House calls break in hostage talks ‘deeply regrettable,’ asserts deal still possible

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby calls the departure of Israeli and Hamas negotiating teams from talks in Cairo without a deal “deeply regrettable.”

“We’ve seen the comments that officials from both sides have made speaking to the impasse that they’re at right now,” Kirby tells reporters in a briefing.

“But we are working hard to try to keep both sides engaged in continuing the discussion — if only virtually — and to continue to work on the actual text itself. We still believe that a deal was possible… The gaps remaining can be surmounted, but it’s going to require leadership, some moral courage and it’s going to require continued ability to compromise and to negotiate in good faith. We’re not giving up on that,” Kirby adds.

“There are no in-person meetings now in place… That doesn’t mean the process has to end… We’re still all in, and we’re still going to keep working on it,” he says.