From the Liveblog of
Monday, January 13, 2025
White House says ‘distinct’ possibility of hostage deal this week
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says “there is a distinct possibility” that a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas can be inked “this week.”
He clarifies in an interview with Bloomberg that the sides have been this close before only for the talks to fall apart.
Sullivan says he spoke this morning with the Biden administration’s lead negotiator in Doha — White House Mideast czar Brett McGurk — along with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and one of the lead Israeli negotiators. “There is a general sense that this is moving in the right direction.”
“The question now over the next short while is, can Hamas get to yes?” says the top Biden aide.
With Hamas significantly weakened and isolated on the one hand, and Israel having achieved “a huge amount of its military objectives in Gaza,” Sullivan says both sides are in a position to accept the agreement on the table.
