Middle East: Biden advisor: hostage deal possible – failure too

Outgoing US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, sees cautious chances of a deal for a ceasefire and hostage release in the Middle East. “We are very, very close,” Sullivan told CNN. “And yet, being very close means we are still a long way away, because until we cross the finish line, we are not there yet.”

Negotiations in Qatar with US mediation were ongoing, said Sullivan. White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk has been in the Qatari capital Doha for a week and has been working with the other mediators on the final details of a text that will be presented to both sides.

Sullivan emphasized: “We remain committed to using every day we are in office to get this thing done,” Sullivan said. “It’s possible we can do it before January 20, but I can’t predict that we will do it.” Biden will be informed every day about the status of the negotiations and will probably speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about them “soon.” But there is also the possibility that Hamas in particular will not move in the end, “as has happened so many times.”

Biden will say goodbye to the White House on January 20th and then hand over the reins of office to Republican Donald Trump.

Indirect negotiations are currently underway in the Gulf state of Qatar regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the hostages still held there in return for Palestinian prisoners.