Dec 20, 2023 - World

Biden: No new Gaza hostage deal expected for now

Barak Ravid

President Biden approaches members of the media upon arrival at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Dec. 20. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

President Biden doesn't expect a new hostage deal between Israel and Hamas to come soon, he told reporters on Wednesday, but stressed that the U.S. is "pushing" for one.

Why it matters: Israel said it would pause the fighting in Gaza for at least one week as part of a new deal that would require the release of more than three dozen hostages the terror group is holding, Axios reported on Tuesday.

Driving the news: "There's no expectation at this point, but we are pushing," the president said.

CIA Director Bill Burns met Monday with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and David Barnea, the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency, in Warsaw to discuss a potential deal.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Wednesday that the talks on a new hostage deal are "serious" and stressed the Biden administration hopes "it will lead somewhere".

Secretary of State Tony Blinken said on Wednesday during a press conference that the U.S. and Israel both want to see a release of hostages in return for a pause in the fighting. He said the problem is still Hamas refusing to relaunch negotiations.

Go deeper: Israel-Hamas war: How the Gaza ceasefire collapseda

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Biden: No new Gaza hostage deal expected for now

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