The United States is working on a hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, along with Egypt and Qatar. This hostage deal would bring an immediate and sustained period of calm to Gaza for at least six weeks. It, and it cannot come at the expense of undermining the only, and let me repeat, the only path available toward a longer durable peace. And we believe that the resolution on the table right now would, in fact, negatively impact those negotiations. Demanding an immediate, unconditional cease-fire without an agreement requiring Hamas to release the hostages will not bring about a durable peace.

Source: New York Times February 21, 2024 09:06 UTC