Kirby ‘confident’ Americans in Gaza will be freed on Sunday amid reports of looting deal between Israel and Hamas
White House National Security Adviser John Kirby said Thursday morning that he was “convinced” of that agreement on ceasefire and exchange of hostages may still be “implemented” on Sunday as the families of the two Americans slated for immediate release await answers.
“There’s a deal,” Kirby told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “We are confident that we will be able to start implementing it on Sunday. There are some implementation details that still need to be ironed out. We are currently working with the Israelis on this very, very hard.
“But we are confident that we will get there,” he added.
From left, American hostages being held in Gaza: Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Keith Siegel, Omer Neutra, Judi Weinstein Haggai, Gadi Haggai and Itay Chen. (Fox News)
ISRAEL-HAMAS Cease-fire deal hangs in balance as key vote postponed
Confusion about whether the agreement was successfully reached – as like the USA and Qatar confirmed on Wednesday – erupted after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Thursday that Hamas was “creating a last-minute crisis that prevents a settlement”.
“Hamas is reneging on explicit deals negotiated with mediators and Israel in a last-minute blackmail attempt,” he claimed, according to a statement shared by Israel’s TPS-IL news agency.
Hamas allegedly refused accusations by the Israeli government.
Netanyahu postponed a cabinet hearing scheduled for Thursday morning to vote on the deal until “the mediators announce that Hamas has approved all the details of the deal.”
But Kirby seemed determined to clarify that the deal had not fallen apart, telling MSNBC: “It’s not falling apart.”
He also told NBC: “We are aware of these issues that the prime minister has raised… We are confident that we will be able to resolve these issues at the last minute and get things moving.”
Pictures of loved ones captured by Hamas displayed during the Defend Israeli Democracy UK press conference at the Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London on October 12, 2023. (Lucy North/PA Images via Getty Images)
ISRAELI PRESIDENT NETANYAHU DELAYS VOTES ON GAZA CEASEFIRE, ACCUSES HAMAS OF TRYING TO AVOID DEAL
Some 33 hostages are expected to be released in the first phase of the accord, which will give priority free any children, women, old people and the sick or wounded. The initial phase will last 42 days with the gradual release of hostages, including three prisoners who will be freed on the first day of the deal’s implementation.
Some reports suggest that three female Israeli soldiers could be released on the first day of the deal.
Although a senior administration official told Fox News and other reporters on Wednesday that two of the three Americans living in Gaza would be released on the first day.
“We’ll see – and I don’t want to say until we actually see them – but Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen will be out on day one, and Edan will be out of Gaza, there’s no doubt about that,” the official said.
Edan Alexander is a 21-year-old American-Israeli who was serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the day of the attack on October 7, 2023, although the soldiers are not scheduled to be released until the second phase, which will begin on the 43rd day of the ceasefire.
Israeli families of hostages carry photos of their loved ones held hostage by Hamas in Gaza as they march towards Jerusalem. (Matan Golan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Details of the release of the remaining hostages, living and dead, will begin to be negotiated on the 16th day of the first phase.
At least 98 hostages are still being held in Gaza, 94 of whom were abducted on October 7, 2023. While 62 of them are believed to be alive, 36 are estimated to be dead.
“We are committed to getting all Americans out. These are American-Israeli citizens, all of them from Gaza,” the official said. “To live or to stay. That’s our decision.”
