White House downplays role of pressure in securing a deal between Israel and Hamas
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Asked what pressure the US is putting on Hamas and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to close a ceasefire deal, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby argues that pressure isn’t the only tool that the administration is trying to use.
“It’s not just about twisting arms and putting pressure. It is about having active, constructive conversations about negotiating the final details… That’s where we are right now.”
“I heard a question asked yesterday here about why we’re only pressuring one side [and why] only the prime minister is feeling the heat.”
“I’ll tell ya, if you’re Mr. Sinwar, he’s buried in a tunnel somewhere. He ain’t coming up for air too much. His forces have been decimated, his resources have been dried up. People he claimed to be protecting and defending are living in deplorable conditions because of a war that he started on the 7 of October.”
“I don’t buy this notion that there’s no pressure being put on Hamas or Hamas leaders. The indictments that were unsealed yesterday prove that as well,” Kirby adds.
