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The sides of negotiations on the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip are "very close" to an agreement that could be reached before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told CNN on Sunday.
"We are very, very close," Sullivan said, but added that the finish line had not been crossed yet.
White House Coordinator for the Middle East Brett McGurk has been in Doha for a week, where final details of the text of the agreement are being agreed upon, Sullivan said.
"We are still determined to use every day we have in office to get this done," he said.
Biden receives daily updates on this issue and will most likely have talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu soon, Sullivan also said.
"And we are not by any stretch of the imagination setting this aside. There is a possibility this comes together," he said.
On October 7, 2023, during a Hamas attack on southern Israeli settlements, the radicals captured more than 250 people and took them to the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli data, 98 people are still held captive by Hamas, including those believed to be dead. During various operations and humanitarian efforts, 156 people were returned from Hamas captivity, including the dead hostages whose bodies were taken out of Gaza. The hostages, including women, children and the elderly, have been held captive for more than 15 months. Among the hostages held captive, there are also two with Russian citizenship.
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