The White House on Monday said high-level talks on a Gaza cease-fire and hostage deal are showing progress and that weekend attacks between Israel and Lebanese militants in Hezbollah did not affect the negotiations.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the strikes along the Lebanon-Israel border did not alter the course of talks many miles away in Egypt.
“There continues to be progress. Our team on the ground continues to describe the talks as productive,” Mr. Kirby said. “There was not an impact on the talks in Cairo.”
U.S., Qatari and Egyptian negotiators are working with mediators from Israel and Palestinian Hamas militants to win the release of Israeli hostages who were captured by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Hamas-driven terror raids kicked off a military campaign by Israel in Hamas-controlled Gaza, a strip of land between Israel and Egypt.
Mr. Kirby said negotiators are trying to bridge gaps in the talks, including the details of how to swap hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
“Who will be released on either side and at what pace,” Mr. Kirby said, offering an example of terrain that must be covered in the talks.
Roughly 100 hostages were freed last year but more than 100 remain, enduring months of captivity. It is unclear how many hostages remain alive.
Israel recently recovered the bodies of six hostages from Gaza. The delay in securing the release of living hostages has, at times, caused Israelis to vent anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.
Escalating tensions in northern Israel between the nation’s forces and Hezbollah have fueled concerns of a wider conflict.
Mr. Kirby said he expects the Cairo talks to continue for another few days.
“Whether it goes longer or could end sooner really is going to be up to those in the room and what they’ve able to accomplish,” he said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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