White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Sunday that the United States remains hopeful of “six weeks of peace” with the hostage trade, which “Hamas has not completely rejected.”
Speaking with host George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week,” Kirby assured the Biden administration that the Jewish state would not launch an operation in Rafah, Hamas’ last stronghold. “Until we have an opportunity to really share our views and our thoughts,” he said. I’m concerned about them. ”
“If we can get this hostage deal done, we are still working on it. Hamas has not completely rejected it,” Kirby said. “They are considering this proposal. If we can implement it, you will have six weeks of peace. Six weeks of no fighting, including the fighting in Rafah. And what we hope is that after six weeks of a temporary ceasefire, we might be able to achieve a more permanent ceasefire. ”
Hamas on Saturday announced Israel’s new bid for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as Egypt ramps up efforts to broker a deal to end months of war and stop a planned Israeli ground offensive in the southern city of Rafah. announced that it is considering a proposal. A senior Hamas official, Khalil al-Khayyya, did not go into details about Israel’s proposal, but said it was in response to a Hamas proposal made two weeks ago, the Associated Press reported.
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John Kirby is White House National Security and Communications Advisor (Robert Schmidt/Getty Images/File)
This month’s negotiations centered on a proposed six-week ceasefire and the release of 40 civilian and sick hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
A separate Hamas statement said leaders of the three main armed groups operating in Gaza had discussed efforts to end the war. He did not mention Israel’s proposal. The statement came hours after an Egyptian delegation concluded a visit to Israel in which they discussed a “new vision” for a longer ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said. It was done.
Kirby also mentioned planned aid deliveries flowing into Gaza from an offshore pier that the U.S. military is currently building.
“Israelis have begun to make good on the promises that President Biden has asked for,” Kirby said. “This pier is currently under construction. It will probably be two to three weeks before we can actually see it in operation. This means it will be quite complicated to get it in place. And we are working closely with the Israelis on how the pier operation will work.”
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People walk through a camp for displaced people in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, near the border with Egypt, on April 28, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
Stephanopoulos also pressed Kirby about anti-Israel protests, where anti-Semitism has worsened on American college campuses, and specifically about the use of police to quell demonstrations.
“George, the president knows there are very strong feelings about the war in Gaza,” Kirby said. “He understands that and he respects that. And as he’s said many times, we certainly respect the right to peaceful protest. People express their opinions. But they should have the ability to share their views publicly. But it must be peaceful. We will leave it to local authorities to decide how to manage these protests.”
On April 28, 2024, a Palestinian wrote a letter to a tent in Rafah, Gaza Strip, thanking American students for their support to Gaza. (Abd Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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“But we want them to be peaceful protests,” he added. “And obviously we don’t want to see anyone get hurt in the course of a peaceful protest. But again, the president understands that too. We absolutely condemn the language of doctrine, and we certainly condemn all forms of hate speech.”We understand that there is a threat of violence at these protests, but they must be peaceful. ”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
