Hostage deal with Hamas will be focus of Biden-Netanyahu meeting next week, says US national security advisor

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When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with U.S. President Joe Biden next week, the focus will be on achieving a ceasefire and hostage deal, stated U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan during an interview on Friday at the Aspen Security Forum.

“Several weeks ago, the president went out and said to the world, there is a blueprint, a pathway to get the hostages home, a ceasefire in place, humanitarian assistance in Gaza. We believe there is an opportunity to get it done. Let's use next week to try to clear through those obstacles and get a deal,” Sullivan said.

He quoted Biden, who said the talks would be difficult and require a lot of give and take. Although the initial phase is set for six weeks, Biden noted that as long as both sides remain at the table and make progress, the negotiations could be extended until an agreement is reached.

“Most of that is understood by both Israel and Hamas,” Sullivan said. “There are some technical details to be worked out about the phase one to phase two sequence. That's one of the issues that we have to work through in the end game, and it's one of the things that President Biden and I will have the chance to talk to the prime minister about."

Netanyahu is scheduled to deliver a speech before the U.S. Congress during his visit to Washington. The Israeli prime minister will be accompanied by several family members of Israeli hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, as well as former hostages, including Noa Argamani.

The Biden administration expects the prime minister's speech to reflect how the two nations are prepared to “face down the terrorist threat, to coordinate together on the regional challenges that both of our countries are facing, and how we're continuing to work towards the ceasefire and hostage deal,” Sullivan said.

Earlier on Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented on the ceasefire negotiations in another interview at the Aspen Security Forum.

“We often know the last 10 yards are often the hardest,” he said, stressing that the focus is to finish negotiating some “critical details.”

Blinken also noted that Israeli citizens are ready to “get this done,” referring to securing a ceasefire deal and bringing the remaining hostages back home from Gaza, where they have been held by Hamas terrorists since Oct. 7.

When asked, Blinken refused to entertain the idea that the two-state solution is dead.

“Not only is it not that, it can't be,” he responded. “Palestinians are not going anywhere. The Jews are not going anywhere.”

“There has to be an accommodation that brings lasting peace and lasting security to Israelis who so desperately want it and need it and fulfills the right to self-determination of the Palestinians,” Blinken added.