NSA Jake Sullivan says “there could be a cease-fire tomorrow” if “Hamas would say yes to the deal”

Washington – National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Sunday that “now is the time” for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza, urging Hamas to accept a deal with Israel.

“There could be a ceasefire tomorrow, even today, if Hamas said yes to the deal,” Sullivan said Sunday on “Face the Nation.”

Negotiators from the US, Qatar and Egypt have been working towards a deal between Israel and Hamas that would begin to end the war. Meanwhile, four Israelis hostages taken by Hamas were rescued by Israeli security forces during an attack in central Gaza on Saturday, which came with US support, mainly in the form of intelligence. And negotiations are underway for the release of the remaining hostages, which include five US citizens.

Sullvan said the “most effective, right and correct way” to return all hostages is with a “comprehensive ceasefire and hostage agreement” that President Biden has highlighted in recent days and which Israel has accepted.

“If Hamas said yes to this deal, there would be a ceasefire in place, the hostages would return home, more humanitarian aid would arrive, and a better day for the Palestinian people would begin to unfold,” Sullivan said. . “So what we would like to see is for this deal to come to fruition because it is the safest way to get the hostages home.”

But there have been accusations that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is resistant to a deal, which Biden acknowledged in a recent interview with Time. When asked whether Netanyahu is prolonging the conflict for political purposes, the president responded that “there is every reason for people to draw that conclusion.”

The latest offer would involve the release of vulnerable hostages and Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention centers, along with a six-week cessation of violence and an increase in humanitarian aid.

Mr. Biden outlined the proposal late last month, which he said was “a roadmap for a lasting ceasefire and the release of all hostages.” More broadly, the proposal would have three phases, including the phases following the negotiation of a permanent end to hostilities and the beginning of a major reconstruction plan for Gaza.

When asked whether the attack that returned the four Israeli hostages could jeopardize the chances of any diplomatic agreement, Sullivan said he could not predict Hamas’ calculation, but insisted that “the whole world expects Hamas to say yes, because for everyone those people, all these months who have called for a ceasefire, now is the time.” In the operation that led to the return of the four hostages, the media office of the Hamas-run government in Gaza said that 246 Palestinians were killed and more than 400 were injured.

“There’s only one answer to all of this, and it’s the answer I keep coming back to, which is a ceasefire and a hostage agreement that would end the suffering, end the conflict, end the war and bring all the hostages home. ” said Sullivan. “So it is time for Hamas to come to the table, say yes, and end all the suffering that is occurring in Gaza right now.”

The events occur at a time when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing to address a joint meeting of Congress on July 24th. Sullivan said he is hopeful that when that happens, a ceasefire and hostage agreement will be in place.