White House: “Netanyahu Thanks for U.S. Support to Israel”
Ceasefire and Hostage Negotiations between Israel and Hamas in Qatar
U.S. National Security Advisor: “Very Close…Not Yet at the Finish Line”
[This is reported by Lee So-hyun from Edaily] As U.S. President Joe Biden prepares to retire on the 20th, he discussed negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages between Israel and Hamas in a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Reuters on the 12th (local time), the White House announced this after the two leaders spoke by phone. President Biden emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of hostages, stating that the ceasefire agreement is expected to significantly increase humanitarian aid, according to the White House.
Prime Minister Netanyahu explained in a statement that he briefed President Biden on the progress of the talks and the mission given to the high-level security delegation currently in Doha, Qatar, to advance the hostage negotiations.
The two leaders also discussed the fundamentally changed regional situation in the Middle East following the Lebanon ceasefire agreement, the fall of the Syrian Assad regime, and the weakening of Iran’s regional power, the White House explained.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a CNN interview regarding the ceasefire and hostage release negotiations between Israel and Hamas, “We are very close,” but noted that it is not complete until they cross the finish line.
He mentioned that Brett McGurk, Special Assistant to President Biden, is currently in Qatar, discussing the final details of a document to be presented to both sides with other mediators. President Biden is receiving daily updates on the matter.
Sullivan emphasized that “we are determined to use every day we have left in office to complete this work” and “will not set this aside by any stretch of the imagination.”
He pointed out that there is still an opportunity to reach an agreement before President Biden’s retirement, but “Hamas remains particularly uncompromising.”
In addition, the White House conveyed that Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Biden for the “special support” from the U.S. for Israel’s security and defense during their call.
U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance indicated in a Fox News interview that the U.S. might announce the release of hostages from the Middle East, possibly in a day or two, before the end of the Biden administration.
Meanwhile, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump also strongly supports Prime Minister Netanyahu’s objective to destroy Hamas, promising to bring peace to the Middle East but has not specified how this would be achieved.
In October 2023, Israel launched an attack on the Gaza Strip resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages, initiating a series of attacks on the region. According to Palestinian health officials, over 46,000 people have died in Gaza since then, with most of the area in ruins, leading to a humanitarian crisis and the majority of residents becoming refugees.