US: "Hamas Hostage Release Could Lead to Ceasefire"

Brett McGurk, the U.S. White House National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, stated that if the hostages held by the Palestinian armed group Hamas are released, it would lead to a significant cessation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media on the 18th (local time), Coordinator McGurk said at the 'IISS Manama Dialogue' security summit held in Bahrain, "We will see considerable change once the hostages are freed," adding, "There will be a substantial increase in humanitarian aid deliveries and a significant halt in fighting."

Israel and the United States are negotiating with Hamas through Qatar's mediation to secure the release of more than 240 hostages abducted into the Gaza Strip during Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on the 7th of last month.

Hamas is demanding a halt to Israeli military operations along with the allowance of more humanitarian aid and fuel imports as conditions for releasing the hostages.

However, Tzachi Hanegbi, Israel's National Security Advisor, has stated that a ceasefire will only be agreed upon if there is a large-scale release of hostages, and even then, it will be very brief.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.