2024-09-06 08:23:29
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Sept. 5 that despite another significant setback, it would not prevent efforts to reach a deal from continuing.
John Kirby reported that Hamas terrorists not only killed the hostages over the weekend, but also changed the terms of the exchange. He added that while negotiations were continuing, no new summits were planned.
“I can’t speak to the motives for the killing of these hostages, but we continue to believe that, as tragic as it was – and it certainly was tragic – ceasefire negotiations can and should continue,” Kirby said.
A National Security Council spokesman said there is currently direct communication between the White House and partners in Qatar, Egypt and Israel.
Asked whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was hindering hostage talks with his repeated promises to remain in the Philadelphia Corridor indefinitely, Kirby replied: “The main obstacle to a ceasefire agreement is Hamas.”
Earlier, Cursor wrote that Khalil al-Hiya, a high-ranking representative of the Hamas terrorists, said that in order to reach an agreement on the release of the hostages, it is necessary to ensure a complete ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip.
He also noted that the organization is not interested in new intermediary proposals and requires specific guarantees of fulfillment of its conditions.
In addition, “Cursor” has already reported that negotiations on the release of hostages held by Hamas continue to stall, despite active efforts by mediators. In the coming days, the US plans to present its “final” exchange offer to Israel and Hamas.