Rabia Iclal Turan
20 November 2023•Update: 20 November 2023
WASHINGTON
US President Joe Biden said Monday he believes a deal to free hostages in Gaza is near amid media reports over a possible hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
"I believe so," Biden responded when asked if a deal to release hostages in Gaza is near during the annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon ceremony at the White House.
However, he did not provide further details, stating that he was "not prepared to talk."
The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Israel, the US and Hamas had agreed to a tentative deal to free dozens of hostages in exchange for a five-day pause.
“We have not reached a deal yet, but we continue to work hard to get to a deal,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson wrote on X, reposting the story.
On Sunday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said that a hostage exchange deal between Israel and Hamas was “imminent.”
Hamas is believed to be holding at least 239 hostages following a cross-border attack on Oct. 7. The Palestinian group says it is ready to release the captives in return for thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
