Washington (agencies)
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that an agreement to release the Israeli hostages held in Gaza would be essential to achieving a sustainable cessation of hostilities that would allow the flow of humanitarian aid and alleviate suffering in Gaza. In press statements yesterday, he considered that “the ball is in the Palestinians’ court,” saying that they must “agree to an arrangement that allows the hostages to return to their homes,” stressing that “Washington will continue to put pressure, and that it is communicating with the Israeli side, and Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating in the negotiations.” .
He stated that he could not be certain that there was an imminent agreement to exchange hostages, adding: “These negotiations unfold somewhat slowly, before their pace suddenly accelerates.”
He said that it is difficult to put a timetable on when the agreement will occur, or whether anything will be reached, and continued: “I cannot say that the agreement is close.”
In another context, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas renewed his call yesterday for the necessity of holding an international peace conference.
Abbas said in a statement that, during his meeting with the UN Secretary-General’s envoy for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wensland, he also stressed “the importance of empowering the State of Palestine politically and economically in order for it to fully carry out its responsibilities towards the Palestinian people.”
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