 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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'Intense negotiations' but no deal yet to free hostages held by Hamas |
The U.S. is pushing to secure the release of hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas, but there is no deal on the table yet, according to the White House. |
The United States has a "team on the ground" working "by the hour" on a potential deal, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Thursday. "We are in some intense negotiations; hopefully they'll come out the right way and we'll have good news to talk about with multiple hostages getting free," he said. "But we don't have a deal right now, and until we do, the less said the better." A deal could involve the swapping of dozens of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in return for a truce of a few days in the war, along with the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, according to media reports. Qatar, which maintains communications with Israel, Hamas and the U.S., is also reportedly in the midst of the negotiations. Qatari officials have already helped secure the release of a few Israeli prisoners. President Biden has also hinted at a deal, telling reporters at a press conference Wednesday night that he was "deeply involved in moving on the hostage negotiation." "We've gotten great cooperation from the Qataris. I've spoken with them as well a number of times," Biden said. "I'm mildly hopeful." Hamas took about 239 hostages in its Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, which killed around 1,200 people. Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
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The Pentagon has failed its annual audit for the sixth year in a row, according to the Defense Department’s chief financial officer. Out of 29 individual sub-audits of the department, only seven passed this year, the same as the year prior, Comptroller Mike McCord told reporters Wednesday. One other received a "qualified" rating — a step down from passing — while three are ongoing and 18 were given failing … |
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| President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping took steps this week to ease tensions across the Indo-Pacific, opening a new chapter after a tumultuous period of uncertainty in the region. At a high-stakes Wednesday meeting, Biden and Xi reopened military-to-military communications, which could help the countries navigate mishaps in the South China Sea; had a candid discussion about the future of Taiwan; and signaled … |
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Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper said to defeat the militant Palestinian group Hamas fully, Iran must be confronted "once and for all.” "[T]o ultimately defeat Hamas, in the extent that we understand it [in] military terms, you have to prevent their ability to reconstitute their military forces," Esper said in a Thursday interview on CBS. "To do that, that means you have to deal with Iran once and for all," Esper continued. … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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Army investigating Georgia base after family of 4 found dead |
Authorities say they are investigating the deaths of a family of four found in their home on the Fort Stewart Army base in Georgia. "Fort Stewart law enforcement — in partnership with the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division — continues the investigation into four individuals found dead inside their on-post home Wednesday, Nov. 15," Fort Stewart spokesman Kevin Larson said in an emailed statement. "The deceased … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
The Atlantic Council will hold a talk on "Relying on old enemies: The challenge of Taiwan's economic ties to China" at 9 a.m. The Atlantic Council will also discuss "Israel, Ukraine and the evolution of warfare" with former CIA director and retired Army Gen. David Petraeus at 10 a.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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Former President Trump pointed to the testimony of his former fixer and personal attorney, Michael Cohen, as the catalyst to the supposed "implosion" … Read more |
| Trump-allied conservatives are using more pugnacious rhetoric than ever, and in some cases, such as an incident Tuesday featuring Sen. Markwayne Mullin … Read more |
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