The United States was hopeful that Hamas would agree to free the hostages as Qatar, which is mediating the deal with Egypt, hinted at positive progress that could lead to a pause in the Gaza war.
“We hope that Hamas…will agree to a pause,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters in Washington.
“We have pursued this pause intensively. We have made clear it is a priority of the United States, other countries have made clear it a priority for all of these same reasons,” Miller said.
He added that such a pause would help with the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Qatar: No deal yet, Hamas ‘positive’ over Paris proposal
A Qatari official told Reuters that Hamas indicated it viewed a proposal for a hostage deal positively. “There is no deal yet. Hamas has received the proposal positively, but we are waiting for their response,” the official said.
At the prayer breakfast in Washington, US President Joe Biden said, “I’m engaged on this day and night and working, as many of you in this room are, to find the means to bring our hostages home, to ease the humanitarian crisis, and to bring peace to Gaza and Israel.”
He said, “I also see the trauma, the death, and destruction in Israel and Gaza. And I understand that the pain and passion felt by so many here in America and around the world.”
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