Kirby: The U.S. is 'cautiously optimistic' about Gaza ceasefire talks

John Kirby, the White House National Security spokesperson, said on Wednesday to CNN that the United States is 'cautiously' optimistic about the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, adding that the gaps between Israel and Hamas may be narrowing. In response to a question about whether a ceasefire agreement is near, he stated, 'We are cautiously optimistic that things are moving in a good direction.' He added, 'There are still gaps remaining between the two sides. We believe these gaps can be narrowed, and that’s exactly what Brett McGurk and William Burns, the CIA Director, are currently trying to do.' Senior U.S. officials traveled to the region to pressure both sides for a ceasefire after Hamas made concessions in the ceasefire negotiations last week. Hamas has accepted a significant part of the U.S. plan aimed at ending the nine-month war and has dropped its demand that Israel commit to a permanent ceasefire before signing an agreement. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Wednesday that in Jerusalem, he told Brett McGurk, the U.S. special envoy for Middle East affairs, that he is committed to ensuring a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, provided that Israel's red lines are respected. Mr. Netanyahu emphasized that this agreement should not prevent the resumption of Israeli attacks and the achievement of its war objectives. A senior Biden administration official told reporters last week that Washington has sent $6.5 billion in security assistance to Israel since the beginning of the war. Israel's retaliatory attacks on Palestinian areas aimed at 'destroying Hamas' began after the group, backed by the Islamic Republic, killed 1,200 people, most of whom were civilians, and took over 250 hostage during the October 7 attack on southern Israel. Hamas and Hezbollah, supported by the Islamic Republic, are listed as terrorist organizations by the U.S. and several other countries. An American official: The United States resumes sending heavy bombs to Israel. Nasrallah: If the ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel succeed, we will halt our operations. Reuters: Nearly 30 football spectators were killed following an Israeli missile strike in eastern Khan Younis.