Media: US national security adviser heads to Middle East for final push on hostage deal Ahead of Trump’s Inauguration

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan is set to travel to Israel, Egypt, and Qatar this week in a final push to secure a hostage-release and ceasefire agreement in Gaza before President-elect Trump’s inauguration.

This high-stakes diplomatic mission, coordinated with Trump's team, comes as President Biden intensifies efforts to broker a deal that both leaders are eager to see finalized before Biden's term concludes in six weeks, Caliber.Az reports via Axios.

While Biden has limited influence in the region, Trump’s public calls for the release of hostages held by Hamas have exerted significant pressure on key regional players, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas, and Egyptian and Qatari mediators.

“We're working very hard to get the hostages back and as you know January 20 is a very big day,” Trump stated on December 10, during a meeting with Judith Raanan, an Israeli-American taken hostage by Hamas in the October 2023 attacks and freed two weeks later.

Currently, around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, including seven Americans. Israeli intelligence believes that roughly half are still alive. Sullivan is expected to meet with Israeli leaders on December 12 to discuss not only the hostage release and ceasefire but also developments in Syria, Lebanon, and Iran, as confirmed by White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett.

Following his visit to Israel, Sullivan will travel to Cairo and Doha to engage Egyptian and Qatari leaders, focusing on their mediation efforts. Two sources briefed on the trip revealed that Sullivan is determined to push for the swift finalization of a deal, urging Israeli, Qatari, and Egyptian officials to act decisively.

On December 10, Sullivan met for the fifteenth time with the families of the American hostages, assuring them that the Biden administration is working closely with Trump’s team to ensure the safe return of all hostages. “This remains a critical priority for President Biden,” Sullivan conveyed, according to the families.

Meanwhile, Israeli intelligence officials, including Shin Bet director Ronen Bar and IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Herzi Halevi, visited Cairo on December 10 to meet with Egyptian counterparts, where discussions centred around the potential deal for a hostage release and ceasefire.

Recent developments indicate some progress in the negotiations. Last week, Israel presented Hamas with an updated proposal for releasing some of the remaining hostages and initiating a ceasefire. Though not vastly different from an earlier proposal in August, Israeli officials have expressed hope for partial implementation of the deal’s first phase.

“Until recently, the thinking in Israel was that Hamas doesn’t want a deal — now it seems that there is a shift and that Hamas may have changed its mind,” one senior Israeli official noted.

Despite these positive signs, detailed negotiations on a final agreement are yet to begin. White House spokesperson John Kirby cautioned on December 10, “We are not on the verge of completion of a deal, but we think there is a chance to get a deal done. There is still work to do. Hamas remains the obstacle, and we are pressing hard.”

An Israeli official added, “There is a chance of reaching a deal in the coming month before Biden ends his presidency.” With time running out, Sullivan’s mission could be critical in securing a resolution to the ongoing hostage crisis and violence in Gaza.

By Aghakazim Guliyev