(NewsInsights.org) – Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, sending insurgents from Gaza into settlements in Israel and kidnapping as many as 240 people while killing more than 1,400. Now, as negotiations with Hamas progress to retrieve the hostages, one US official says none of the parties involved can account for nine Americans and one green card holder.
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with CNN’s Dana Bash on the “State of the Union” telecast on Sunday, November 12. He explained that the government didn’t yet know the status of the 10 missing people but was working diligently to recover all of the individuals taken from Israel safely. He told Bash he would meet with American hostages’ families during the week of November 13 to update them on the progress of the negotiations.
Israel, Hamas, Qatar, Egypt, the US, and other nations have maintained active negotiations regarding the hostages. Sullivan said he didn’t want to attempt to predict a timeframe or outcome because negotiators previously believed they were close to reaching a deal. However, he assured the audience that “active, intensive negotiations” remained ongoing.
In a related issue, Sullivan also told Bash the US has discouraged firefights in or near hospitals or other sensitive civilian areas like schools. Yet, he admitted that Hamas has set up command posts in or under such facilities, essentially using their own people as human shields. This presents the Israeli military with the challenge of how to fight Hamas without inflicting massive civilian casualties.
The World Health Organization said it lost contact with al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City as fuel and medical supplies ran low. UN Relief Chief Martin Griffiths posted a rebuke on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Hospitals must be places of greater safety […] places of shelter and not of war.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed his government had offered the hospital fuel on November 11. “We offered this help. They refused it,” he told NBC’s “Meet the Press.” He claimed he had offered to set up field hospitals or bring in hospital ships and allow UN personnel to move patients.
Moreover, humanitarian issues are presenting roadblocks to negotiations of any kind.
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