U.S. National Security Advisor: Hamas Not Ready to Negotiate on Hostage Names

Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, stated in an interview with Israel's Channel 13 that "for months, Hamas has not even been ready for basic actions such as providing the names of hostages for negotiation." These remarks came as reports last week indicated that Hamas was prepared to provide a list of hostages for release in the first phase. Sullivan emphasized that regional changes, including the fall of the Assad regime, a ceasefire in Lebanon, and the killing of Hamas leaders by Israel, have created conditions conducive to an agreement. He added, "My view is that due to regional developments, a suitable moment has arisen, and it is my duty to use this moment to ensure these individuals, including American citizens, return to their families." Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's role in these negotiations, he said, "Israel negotiated hard to justify and defend its positions." However, he accused Hamas of being "extremely rigid" and stated, "Hamas has repeatedly failed to take steps when opportunities arose." In recent months, negotiations for the release of hostages have been complicated. The three-phase framework proposed by Israel in May has received support from the U.S. and mediators, but the demands of some hostage families for the immediate release of all 100 hostages have challenged these negotiations. These disputes come as regional developments continue to overshadow the negotiation process. The war in Gaza began after armed Hamas militants attacked Israeli settlements in October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking nearly 250 hostages to Gaza.