White House insists Israel-Hamas ceasefire still within reach in final days of Biden administration

Kirby said the hold up is because the remaining issues to sort out have become subject to “more detailed” discussions. But the administration is working as hard as it can to "try to get a cease-fire deal in place before we leave office.”

By Misty Severi

Published: December 27, 2024 8:27pm

The White House on Friday insisted that a last-minute ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was still within reach, in the final days of President Joe Biden's administration.

Negotiations for such an agreement have repeated stalled since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel, which resulted in Israel declaring war on Hamas, the Palestinian-back militant group that rules Gaza.

Most recently, talks stalled in Qatar on Christmas Eve. Both sides claimed the other was imposing unreasonable demands, with White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby blaming Hamas.

“It is because of Hamas throwing up obstacles or refusing to move on any of these details that we are still not at a conclusion,” Kirby said. “But we believe, as [National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan] has said, we’re very, very close, and so we’re not going to give up.”

He also said the administration is "try to get a cease-fire deal in place before we leave office.”

Kirby and Sullivan did not disclose what issues remaining, but a major sticking point continues to be Israel believing Hamas still has hostages. Who would be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, if hostages are still alive, is another issue, according to the news outlet Axios.

Officials believe nearly 100 hostages remain in Gaza.

A Palestinian official told the BBC that the deal was "90% finished." Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said "some progress" was being made toward an agreement.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.