In an interview with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris discussed progress towards a potential ceasefire in Gaza but emphasized that getting close to an agreement means little without a final resolution.

“Close means that a lot of the details have been worked out … but it is meaningless unless a deal is actually reached. So I don’t want to suggest to you that we should be applauded for getting close at times to a deal,” Harris told Colbert.

She underscored the urgency of the situation, saying, “We must have a ceasefire and a hostage deal as immediately as possible.”

The U.S. has been advocating for a ceasefire and a hostage release agreement, a framework initially proposed by President Joe Biden in May. However, Hamas has consistently rejected every proposal put forth.

Last month, Hamas reiterated its negotiators’ willingness to implement an “immediate” ceasefire with Israel based on an earlier U.S. proposal, but without any new conditions from either side.

Even though Hamas has dismissed previous offers, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken remained optimistic, stating that the U.S. would soon put forward a new proposal for a potential agreement.

Several weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. officials are now doubtful that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will be secured before the end of Biden’s term in January. Senior officials from the White House, State Department, and Pentagon indicated that while negotiations have advanced, crucial issues remain unresolved.

“No deal is imminent,” one U.S. official commented. “I’m not sure it ever gets done.”

Brett McGurk, President Biden’s Middle East Coordinator and a member of the National Security Council, addressed the Israeli American Council (IAC) National Summit in late September. He revealed that Israel had agreed to a deal involving the release of six hostages, but “three we were negotiating were killed in a tunnel underneath Rafah. That said a lot about the willingness of Hamas to do a deal.”

McGurk further noted that Hamas leader Yahaya Sinwar “is the obstacle to the deal,” and emphasized that “this war will not end until the hostages come home, that’s been a principle for some time.”

{Matzav.com}