2024-01-26 02:04:19
CNN — On Thursday, the White House renewed its gratitude to Qatar, which served as the main mediator in talks on the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, following a leaked recording attributed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Doha as “problematic.”
US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said in a statement: “Qatar is a key partner in the region, and we are grateful for their support in our ongoing efforts to try to extract the hostages from Gaza and reunite them with their families.”
Kirby refused to comment on the recording, during a discussion with reporters earlier, and said that the United States “will continue to work to reach an agreement to secure the release of the hostages.”
Senior White House adviser and Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk was in Doha for talks on Wednesday.
CIA Director William Burns is expected to meet soon with the Qatari Prime Minister, the Egyptian Intelligence Director, and the Israeli Mossad Director as part of ongoing hostage talks.
It is noteworthy that the US State Department told CNN that it had no comment on the leaked statements attributed to the Israeli Prime Minister, but Washington praised the role of the Gulf state in mediating the war in Gaza.
Deputy Chief Spokesman Vedant Patel told CNN: “What I can say in general is that Qatar is a great and comprehensive partner in terms of our ongoing work in the region. They have played an irreplaceable role in the ongoing efforts to release the hostages, and they continue to play a critical role in the ongoing work.” To ensure the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
When asked whether the statements attributed to Netanyahu might reveal more details regarding future agreements on releasing hostages and allowing more aid into Gaza, Patel said he “hopes that does not happen.”
He added: “Our hope is that this important work will continue… We have not gone back on our words regarding how important it is to release every hostage, every American whose fate is unknown or held hostage by Hamas. This is something we will continue to work on in close coordination with our partners in Qatar, of course.”
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