“There will be further discussions and consultations,” assured Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, this Sunday.
The United States is “actively” working on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but “we are not there yet”, despite a favorable dynamic after the truce in LebanonWhite House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday.
“There will be further discussions and consultations, and we hope to be able to reach a ceasefire with an agreement on the hostages, but we are not there yet,” said this adviser to US President Joe Biden, on NBC, according to a transcript of the interview published by the channel.
“We are actively working to make this happen,” he said. “We are very involved with key players in the region, and there is activity even today.”
Sunday, Kuwaiti Emir Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip during a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, after more than 13 months of war between Israel and the Islamist movement Hamas in the Palestinian territory.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said from Jerusalem on Sunday that there was “indications” that progress could be made towards an agreement.
“What I can say is that there are signs that we might see a greater degree of flexibility from Hamas due to circumstances, including the Lebanon deal, but not only that,” he said at a press conference. The Israeli government “has the desire to move forward on this subject”, added the minister.
Lebanon
On NBC, Jake Sullivan also welcomed the truce between Israel and Hezbollah which came into force on Wednesday, “a huge step forward for the Middle East”. “We must protect it and ensure that it is fully respected,” said this advisor.
“Our goal is to hold on to these critical first days for the ceasefire, when it is most fragile,” Jake Sullivan told NBC. The day before Saturday, the Israeli army, however, announced that it had carried out several airstrikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.
“President Biden said that (the Lebanon agreement) is a real opportunity to achieve a ceasefire and an agreement on the hostages in Gaza,” judged Jake Sullivan on CBS, assuring that Joe Biden – on departure – had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who “told him that he agreed, that the time is right”.
“If the world can come together to put pressure on Hamas, we could finally get a breakthrough, have a deal,” added Jake Sullivan.
Famine
Hamas attack on Israeli soil resulted in the death of 1,207 people, mostly civiliansaccording to an AFP count based on official data, including hostages killed or died in captivity.
The military wing of Hamas released a video on Saturday of an Israeli-American hostage, Edan Alexander, who asks Israelis and Americans to pressure the government for his release. This video is “a cruel reminder of Hamas’ brutality,” Jake Sullivan said on Sunday
The Hamas government's health ministry for Gaza announced on Sunday a new death toll of 44,429 in the Palestinian territory since the start of the war with Israel more than a year ago, with at least 47 people killed in the last 24 hours.
In the Palestinian territory ravaged by a year of war, famine “is a constant danger”, recalled Jake Sullivan. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) announced on Sunday that it was suspending the delivery of aid to the Gaza Strip from a key crossing point with Israel, as delivery had become “impossible”.
