White House working on hostage release deal between Hamas and Israel, says CIA director
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Donald Trump hopes agreement will take place before his inauguration amid renewed optimism. The White House is working to reach a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas before president-elect Trump’s inauguration, William Burns, the director of the CIA, has suggested.
“Negotiations going on right now are quite serious and do offer the possibility, at least, of getting this done in the next couple of weeks,” Burns said in an interview with National Public Radio on Friday. “This administration worked very hard at that right up until 20 January. I think the coordination with the new administration on this issue has been good. President-elect Trump has made clear his interest in trying to get a deal, you know, before his inauguration.”.
The CIA director’s interview with Mary Louise Kelley on NPR’s All Things Considered took place as Israel and Hamas appeared to be edging closer towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal that could bring the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip to an end amid reports of optimism among decision-makers.
Hamas said on Monday that it had given mediators a list of 34 Israeli captives who were seized during the group’s attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 that triggered the war, and who could be freed as part of the “first phase of a prisoner exchange deal”.
The list included the remaining women, children and older and injured people, Hamas said, although Israel said the militant group had yet to convey whether those named were alive or dead. “I’ve learned the hard way not to get my hopes up about the ceasefire hostage negotiations,” Burns said. “I do think there remains a chance to get a deal. The gaps between the parties have narrowed.”.
