Brian McDonald
The United States provided support for the successful raid by Israeli security forces who rescued four live hostages from captivity in Gaza on Saturday, two US officials confirmed to CBS News. The US military did not participate in the operation, a US official said.
In a statement issued by the White House, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan congratulated Israeli security forces on the success of the operation and made an indirect reference to US support for all efforts to free hostages still held by Hamas, including through “negotiations ongoing or other means”.
CBS News learned Saturday that the U.S. role came primarily in the form of intelligence support. Two US officials confirmed this but refused to share sensitive details about the operation. An Israeli special operator lost his life in the rescue operation and almost 100 Palestinians were killed.
The Biden administration has made a major effort since October 7 to provide support to Israel on hostage issues, including diplomatic, intelligence and, at times, military support. The US has previously acknowledged providing aerial surveillance support to help locate hostages.
Video circulating online on Saturday shows an IDF helicopter taking off from the beach with the US pier in the background. Two US officials told CBS News that the US pier was not used in the IDF operation. It is offshore to help deliver humanitarian aid. A US official explained that the helicopter landed south of the facility, on a beach, but not within the isolated pier area.
“The pier facilities were not used in today’s hostage rescue operation in Gaza. An area south of the facility was used to safely return the hostages to Israel,” a US official said. “Any statement to the contrary is false. The temporary pier on the coast of Gaza was created for a single purpose: to help bring the most urgently needed life-saving assistance to Gaza.”
Diplomatic efforts are still ongoing to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages, including five missing US citizens.
As of Saturday, Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar had not yet officially responded to the latest offer to bundle the release of the most vulnerable hostages along with the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli detention centers along with a wave of humanitarian aid during a period of six weeks. long cessation of violence. The Biden administration is hopeful that the cessation can be extended into a long-term ceasefire and, ultimately, an end to the war.
Three officials with knowledge of the talks told CBS News that a sticking point in the talks so far has been the reference to a “permanent ceasefire” that is politically sensitive in Israel and is now being rebranded as a “sustainable calm.” ”. A permanent end to hostilities would be considered part of Phase Two of a potential agreement, and details would still need to be agreed upon based on the success of Phase One.
Among the hostages believed to be held in Gaza are five missing US citizens, as well as the remains of three other US citizens.
David Martin, Clarie Day, Olivia Gazis and Ed O’Keefe contributed to this report.
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