Syndication: Arizona Republic
(Washington, DC) — A senior White House official says a deal to release hostages held by Hamas is close, but still not final. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said this is the closest that negotiators have come to an agreement. He says it’s possible that more than a dozen hostages could be released in exchange for a ceasefire. He did not provide any details as to which hostages would be released or how soon it might happen. Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. says his country’s government is against a ceasefire, but willing to agree to a pause in fighting for the release of hostages. Speaking on ABC’s This Week, Michael Herzog outlined the difference between a pause and a ceasefire. Herzog said a pause in the fighting would last “for a few days” to allow for “a significant number of” hostages to be released.
