Gaza war
USA on hostage deal: Hopes rise and fall
John Kirby, spokesman for the US National Security Council. photo
© Andrew Harnik/AP/dpa
Negotiations are underway in Egypt for a new deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. The USA hopes that a quick agreement will be reached. But that is apparently not a foregone conclusion.
The US government has urged pragmatism over hopes of a quick ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Islamist Hamas. “I wouldn’t say we’re overly confident (…) I would say we’re very pragmatic about this,” said the National Security Council’s communications director, John Kirby, on Tuesday. There is a “really good proposal” on the table and Hamas should accept it.
When asked about a deadline, Kirby said: “Time is of the essence, but I can’t put a deadline on this.” One should never be too sure about the matter. “Hopes wax and wane, and (…) we’ll just keep pushing and see if we can do it.”
Kirby emphasized that the Israelis had negotiated “with good intentions” and that a six-week ceasefire was on the table. “So there can be no doubt that they are serious about trying to get this deal done.” Kirby did not respond to questions about a possible Plan B if the hostage deal did not go through. It just has to work, he said.
Kirby: “We don’t want a major ground operation in Rafah”
Kirby responded to questions about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s announcement that the planned offensive in Rafah would take place with or without a hostage deal with Hamas. The US position on an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah in the south of the Gaza Strip has not changed. “We don’t want a major ground operation in Rafah,” emphasized Kirby. The Israelis would know the US position.
Indirect negotiations are currently underway in Cairo on a new deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of more hostages in return for Palestinian prisoners. It was expected that if an agreement was reached, Israel would initially refrain from military action in Rafah.