WASHINGTON: The White House is working on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza but is “not there yet,” the US National Security Adviser told NBC on Sunday, with fighting in the conflict raging on as Arab leaders meet in Cairo to discuss the crisis.
“We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the region, and there is activity even today,” said Jake Sullivan, according to a transcript released by the broadcaster.
“There will be further conversations and consultations, and our hope is that we can generate a ceasefire and hostage deal, but we’re not there yet,” he added.
Sullivan’s comments came a day after Israel hit Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, days into a fragile ceasefire in its conflict with the Iran-backed group.
Addressing that conflict, Sullivan lauded the ceasefire deal and said the US was working with Lebanon’s military to ensure it was implemented “effectively.”
“We need to protect it and ensure that it is fully implemented,” he told NBC.
In an apparent reference to the Israeli strikes, Sullivan said both parties “have the right, consistent with international law, to take action in self-defense if they’re facing imminent threats.”
Speaking in Jerusalem on Sunday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said there were “indications” progress could be made on a deal securing the release of hostages by Hamas in Gaza.
“There are signs we may see a greater degree of flexibility from Hamas as a result of circumstances that have developed, including the agreement with Lebanon,” he said.
“There is a desire to move forward on this. I hope it can progress. We are committed to the return of the hostages — it’s a responsibility we must uphold.”
Saar asserted, however, that Hamas “cannot be allowed” to continue to rule Gaza.
Hamas seized 251 hostages during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, with 97 still being held in Gaza, including 34 who have been confirmed to be dead.
The armed group’s attack resulted in 1,207 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
In response, Israel launched a withering military campaign on Gaza, killing at least 44,429 there, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry that the UN considers reliable.
Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, with its population dependent on humanitarian aid that the UN on Sunday said it would pause delivery of through the key Kerem Shalom crossing due to security concerns.
White House says ‘not there yet’ on Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal
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White House says ‘not there yet’ on Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal
- “We are working actively to try to make it happen. We are engaged deeply with the key players in the region, and there is activity even today,” said Jake Sullivan
Bleak Christmas in Bethlehem as families quit West Bank
- Tourists usually pour in, but Gaza war keeps them away; locals look to emigrate as situation worsens
WEST BANK: For a second year running, there is no Christmas cheer in Bethlehem, with tourists shunning the Palestinian city and many residents seeking a way out as the Gaza war grinds on.
Bethlehem’s Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity is largely deserted and souvenir shops are shuttered.
Once again, there are no plans to put up the traditional light-festooned Christmas Tree in the ancient settlement that is venerated by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus and now sits in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“During these difficult times that our Palestinian cities are going through, especially in the Gaza Strip, it is difficult to show any signs of joy and happiness,” said Issa Thaljieh, an Orthodox priest who ministers at the Nativity Church.
Adding to the gloom, many local Christian families are also looking to escape, demoralized by both the tourist slump that has ravaged their economy, and the constant threat of violence hovering over the territory northeast of Gaza.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Once again, there are no plans to put up the traditional light-festooned Christmas Tree in the ancient settlement.
• Adding to the gloom, many local Christian families are also looking to escape, demoralized by both the tourist slump that has ravaged their economy.
“The emigration out of Bethlehem is increasing daily and monthly, and ... this has a negative impact on the city,” Thaljieh said.
Christian communities have been in decline across the Middle East for generations, and the West Bank is no exception.
In the last year of British rule over the region in 1947, some 85 percent of Bethlehem’s population were Christian. As of a 2017 census, the overall population of Bethlehem was 215,514 with only 23,000 Christians among them. That puts the percentage of Christians in Bethlehem in 2017 at around 10 percent.
Locals say the rate of departure has been gathering steam in recent months in the cradle of Christianity, with the economic lifeblood of the city no longer flowing and the Israeli occupation preventing freedom of movement around the territory.
Bethlehem resident Alaa Afteem, who runs a falafel restaurant, said one of his cousins had recently moved to Australia.
“Due to the bad living conditions and bad financial conditions, people have started looking for better opportunities for their children, for better education, for a better future,” he said.
Israel has built Jewish settlements, deemed illegal by most countries, across the territory. Israel disputes this, citing historical ties to the land. Several of its ministers live in settlements and favor their expansion.
Violence has surged across the hilly land since the start of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza in October last year.
Hundreds of Palestinians — including armed fighters, stone-throwing youths and civilian bystanders — have died in clashes with Israeli security forces, while dozens of Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks, Israeli authorities say.
Difficult at the best of times, travel between West Bank cities has become increasingly fraught.
“There is no security if you are commuting between districts within the West Bank like between Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho, Hebron,” Afteem said.
Munther Isaac, a pastor at Bethlehem’s Lutheran Church, says local Muslim families have also been emigrating, squeezed by both financial problems and broader worries about the future.
“There is the fear that this war might extend to areas in the West Bank, especially after the arming of the settlers and the announcement of the possible annexation of the West Bank,” he said.
The West Bank has been transformed by the rapid growth of Jewish settlements over the past two years, with strident settlers pushing to impose Israeli sovereignty on the area.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on X in October that since the start of the Gaza conflict more than 120,000 firearms had been distributed to Israeli settlers to protect themselves.
In Isaac’s church, the nativity scene has a figure of the baby Jesus lying in a pile of rubble. “We feel that this war will never end,” he said.
Jordan’s crown prince, Princess Rajwa visit speech therapy center in Amman
- Royal couple briefed on facility’s services
AMMAN: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein on Sunday visited the Seeds of Hope Center in Amman, which specializes in treating speech and language disorders in children and adults.
The royal couple, who welcomed their first child this year, toured the facility, which houses Jordan’s only space designed to provide multi-sensory experiences aimed at promoting relaxation and sensory integration. The visit also included a look at the center’s gym which is tailored to improve therapy outcomes for patients, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Aya Al-Jazi, the center’s director, briefed the couple on the facility’s services, which include evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and voice disorders, as well as support for swallowing difficulties.
Rehabilitation services are complemented by educational workshops and training programs for caregivers, schools, medical staff, and students.
The Seeds of Hope Center also leads social media awareness campaigns on hearing, speech, and rehabilitation sciences, aiming to foster deeper understanding.
The facility stresses practical skill-building and offers activities in art, cooking, and movement to help individuals of all ages develop independence and contribute actively to society.
The crown prince and princess thanked the center’s staff for their work in empowering individuals through specialized care and community-focused initiatives.
Trump names Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos as Middle East adviser
- Boulos’s son, Michael, is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany
- A day earlier, Trump appointed Charles Kushner — the father of his son-in-law Jared — as the US ambassador to France
WASHINGTON: US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday named Lebanese-American businessman Massad Boulos as his senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, the latest family member to be appointed to a key position.
“I am proud to announce that Massad Boulos will serve as Senior Adviser to the President on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs,” Trump posted on Truth Social of the appointment, which puts his daughter Tiffany’s father-in-law in a major White House position.
Boulos was a key emissary for the Trump campaign, helping to mobilize Arab American and Muslim voters, many of whom were disaffected with White House policy on the war in Gaza.
The businessman will take over a difficult portfolio, with Israel’s war raging in Gaza, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon seeing early violations, and rebel forces in Syria making advances against the government of Bashar Assad.
Boulos’s son, Michael, is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany.
A day earlier, Trump appointed Charles Kushner — the father of his son-in-law Jared — as the US ambassador to France.
“Massad is an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene,” said Trump of his pick for the Middle East adviser job.
“He has been a longtime proponent of Republican and Conservative values, an asset to my Campaign, and was instrumental in building tremendous new coalitions with the Arab American Community.”
The Republican referred to Boulos as “a dealmaker.”
Trump often promised on the campaign trail to bring a swift end to the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and elsewhere, without specifying how he would do so.
Kuwait ruler urges ‘immediate ceasefire’ for Gaza at 45th GCC Summit
- The summit aims to underscore the importance of collective action among nations in the region
- Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah echoed support for a two-state solution on Palestinian issue
RIYADH: Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah has called for an immediate ceasefire and has renewed condemnation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
In his opening speech for the 45th GCC Summit being hosted by his country, the Kuwait ruler also called international community “to play its role in implementing Security Council resolutions on Gaza.”
“Civilians in Gaza must be protected and provided with aid,” he said.
“We reiterate our unwavering support to Palestine and to end the Israeli occupation, attain all their political rights, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in accordance with international resolutions,” he stressed.
“We also commend Qatar, Egypt, and the US for their mediation efforts in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and welcome the ceasefire in Lebanon as a step toward de-escalation.”
The Emir also echoed support for a two-state solution on the Palestinian issue, and reiterated “We support Saudi efforts to push for two-state solution.”
Gulf leaders earlier arrived in Kuwait ahead of the 45th GCC summit, which aimed to underscore the importance of collective action among nations in the region.
GCC Secretary General Jassem Al-Budaiwi, said the summit was yet another milestone in the chain of accomplishments for attaining the aspired pan-GCC merger, in a statement published by Kuwaiti state news agency KUNA.
It is rather a platform for the leaders to coordinate their visions and stands toward regional and international issues, said Al-Budaiwi, revealing that leaders would look into strategic files designed to strengthen regional security and stability, in addition to backing up sustainable economic development in the six countries, members of the bloc.
“We recall with pride the developments and innovations that all Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have reached, becoming an example to be followed in security, development, flourishing as well as a destination for regional excellence in overall progress,” according to Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Prince Sultan bin Saad Al-Saud, in a separate KUNA report.
The Saudi envoy affirmed that the GCC had carried out its international duties within the frame of the international community, championing wisdom and balance in the regional and international arenas.
The GCC is a beacon of hope in the region and it has worked as a unifier of efforts by all GCC citizens, he added.
Among those who have arrived in Kuwait, which hosts the event, are Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Qatar’s Ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyed Fahad bin Mahmoud Al-Said.
The Saudi official delegation includes Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers Prince Turki bin Mohammad, Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of State, Member of the Council of Ministers and National Security Advisor Dr. Musaid Al-Aiban, Minister of Finance Mohammad Al-Jadaan, Minister of Transport Saleh Al-Jasser and other senior officials, KUNA reported.
Four Palestinians killed in Israeli strike on West Bank
- Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces were “preventing our teams from reaching the bombing site near the village of Siir”
JENIN: The Palestinian health ministry said the Israeli army killed four people in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, as Israel announced a strike that killed four “terrorists.”
The ministry updated the death toll from two earlier on Sunday, saying four people were killed “due to the occupation’s aggression on the village of Siir, Jenin district,” referring to Israel.
The Israeli military said later on Sunday in a joint statement with the Shin Bet internal security agency that a “terrorist cell responsible for several shooting attacks in the Gilboa area has been eliminated” in a strike.
It said four “terrorists” were killed in the strike.
“Immediately after the strike, (Israeli) soldiers conducted a targeted raid in the area and located three weapons on the terrorists’ bodies,” the army said.
The Palestinian Red Crescent said earlier on Sunday that Israeli forces had been “preventing our teams from reaching the bombing site” near Siir.
“In the morning, the planes came and started bombing this area,” said Fares Irshaid, a resident of the village. “Shortly after that, the army stormed the entire area. They declared it a closed military zone.”
“There was a group of young men, including my nephew and the son of our neighbors, and we do not know their fate,” he told AFP.
Last month, the Israeli army launched several raids in Jenin, killing nine people, the majority of them Palestinian militants.
Two Palestinians, including a teenage boy, were also killed during an Israeli raid in the West Bank village of Yabad on November 24, the Palestinian Authority said.
Violence in the West Bank, particularly in the north of the territory, has soared since the war in Gaza began in October last year after Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 780 Palestinians in the West Bank during the Gaza war, according to the Ramallah-based health ministry.
Palestinian attacks on Israelis have also killed at least 24 people in the West Bank in the same period, according to Israeli official figures.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.
