White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday that it was “hard to say” whether Israel’s recent operation to rescue four hostages in the Gaza Strip would affect ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
The IDF, along with two other units, carried out a special operation on Saturday to rescue four hostages being held by Hamas in two locations in Nuseirat, central Gaza. The operation, which included heavy air and ground strikes, was Israel’s largest rescue since the war with Hamas began last October.
Gaza’s Health Ministry claimed more than 274 Palestinians were killed in the operation, which came just over a week after President Biden announced an Israeli-proposed ceasefire and hostage release agreement aimed at ending the war.
Asked on ABC News’ “This Week” whether this and similar operations would affect ceasefire negotiations, Sullivan said, “It’s really difficult at this point.”
“We don’t know how Hamas will handle this special operation and how that will affect their decision to support or oppose it,” he added. “At this point we have not received an official response from Hamas. We are waiting for them to contact Qatar and Egypt, who are the middlemen in the hostage negotiations.”
Gaza health officials estimated that at least 274 people were killed and nearly 700 wounded in Saturday’s operation, while the Israel Defense Forces put the death toll at fewer than 100.
Sullivan would not confirm either party’s figures.
“Obviously, the IDF puts out one figure and the Gaza Health Ministry, which is run by Hamas, puts out another figure, and we’re looking into that,” Sullivan said. “It’s going to be a while before we can make any determinations, and we may not be able to make any definitive determinations.”
“Civilians have been killed. It’s a tragedy. It’s heartbreaking. I’ve said before that the Palestinian people are going through hell in this war,” he added. “They’re caught in the crossfire. Hamas is hiding in civilian infrastructure, going underground, putting the Palestinian people at risk. This tragedy could be over now and all the hostages could go home.”
The ceasefire proposal currently under consideration includes a three-part roadmap for ending the fighting and releasing the remaining hostages.
Sullivan repeatedly called on Hamas to respond to the proposal on several Sunday morning shows.
Last week, leaders of the 18 countries whose citizens are being held hostage issued a joint statement calling on Hamas and Israel to agree to a ceasefire proposal.
“There is no time to waste. Israel is ready to move forward with this agreement and calls on Hamas to begin the process of liberating its people,” the statement said.
The war between Israel and Hamas has been intensifying for more than eight months since the group, designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, launched a surprise attack in southern Israel that left more than 1,200 people dead and took about 250 hostages.
Israel’s retaliatory military operations in the Gaza Strip have so far killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry.
