2023-11-20 20:25:39
The US government says it is continuing to work on an agreement to free many hostages in the Gaza Strip. “I don’t want to negotiate in public, but we believe we are getting closer to a solution,” National Security Council Communications Director John Kirby said at the White House yesterday. There is nothing new to announce at the moment – we are working “hour by hour” on a solution.
Kirby repeated previous US statements that they were closer to an agreement than ever before. He did not say how many hostages might be affected by such a deal. “But of course we (…) above all want to achieve the release of the children and women and of course that of the Americans.” But it is best to say as little as possible publicly, said Kirby.
Terrorists from the Islamist Hamas and other groups kidnapped around 240 hostages to the Gaza Strip in massacres and attacks in Israel on October 7th. The Gulf state of Qatar plays an important mediating role in the negotiations to free hostages.
Red Cross President meets Hamas boss in Qatar
Meanwhile, the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric, met the head of the Islamist Hamas, Ismail Hanija, in Qatar. The aid organization in Geneva said she traveled to the Gulf state yesterday to advance humanitarian issues related to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. The visit is part of Red Cross talks with all sides to “improve respect for international humanitarian law.”
Spoljaric also met representatives of Qatar. The country plays an important mediating role in negotiations for the possible release of hostages held by Hamas.
“Catastrophic humanitarian situation”
In light of the war between Israel and Hamas, the ICRC renewed its call for urgent protection of all victims and alleviation of the “catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.” The ICRC is not involved in negotiations to free hostages – but as a neutral humanitarian intermediary it is ready to support possible releases if the parties to the conflict agree on this. The organization also highlighted that it had persistently called for the immediate release of hostages and demanded access for its teams to those abducted.
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