The fate of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is "largely a question that is going to be answered" by the leader of the Palestinian militant group, Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.
A view of Gaza during sunset, Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
The fate of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is "largely a question that is going to be answered" by the leader of the Palestinian militant group, Deputy CIA Director David Cohen said on Wednesday.
Cohen did not refer to Hamas' leader, Yahya Sinwar, by name. The Israelis were showing seriousness in the negotiations, Cohen told an intelligence and national security summit in Washington.
Mediators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been working to strike a deal between the sides and prevent a broader regional war.
On those efforts, Cohen said: "There may be episodes where people would step back from the brink, but I don't think anybody can be confident that that effort to control escalation is something that ... any party in that region" can control.
Reporting by Jonathan Landay
US President Donald Trump stepped back Monday from his threat to target Iran's power grid, announcing a five-day postponement of any strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, while making clear that the broader military offensive against Iran's military and intelligence sites continues unabated.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had given instructions to postpone any military strikes against Iranian power plants for five days, just hours ahead of a deadline that threatened further escalation in the conflict now in its fourth week.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam delivered a sweeping and unusually candid interview to Saudi channel Al-Hadath Sunday evening, laying bare the full extent of Iran's direct military command over Hezbollah in Lebanon, and reaffirming his government's determination to end the conflict through direct negotiations with Israel.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.