Gaza Deal 'Can Get Done This Week': White House
Date
1/13/2025 11:07:36 PM
(MENAFN- Gulf Times) A Gaza truce and hostage release deal is close and could be finalised in the final week of US President Joe Biden's term, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Monday.
"We are close to a deal, and it can get done this week. I'm not making a promise or prediction, but it is there for the taking, and we are going to work to make it happen," Sullivan told reporters.
Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday and called mediator Qatar's Amir His Highness, sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Monday as negotiations intensified.
Sullivan said he was more hopeful of a deal now, 'because the gaps have fundamentally narrowed down'.
Progress had been made on issues including the formula for the exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and on how Israel's forces would be "postured" in Gaza, he said.
Sullivan said the US president would soon speak with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi about the negotiations.
Negotiations are in advanced stages for the release of up to 33 hostages as part of a Gaza ceasefire deal, an Israeli official said.
"We are not sure if it is hours or days or more," the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said about the timing of a potential deal.
A round of Gaza ceasefire talks will be held in Doha Tuesday morning to finalise remaining details related to the deal, an official briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.
A deal to end the Gaza war is "closer than it's ever been", the official said, adding that US President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, outgoing Biden administration envoy Brett McGurk and Israel's Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar were expected to attend.
Rounds of intensive talks are planned in Cairo to put the final touches on remaining details for a Gaza ceasefire deal, Egypt's state affiliated Al Qahera News TV quoted an informed source as saying.
Palestinian resistance movement Hamas said it is keen on reaching a Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a statement.
Turkey's intelligence chief discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza in a phone call Monday with officials from the political wing of Palestinian group Hamas, a Turkish security source said.
The source said MIT chief Ibrahim Kalin and Hamas officials had agreed to continue efforts to reach a truce.
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