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Jake Sullivan to meet hostage families at White House: source

FILE - White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks at a press briefing at the White House in Washington, April 24, 2023. Sullivan and senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Wang Yi held talks in Vienna this week, the latest in a series of small signs that tensions could be easing between the world's two biggest economies. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)

(NewsNation) — National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is set to meet with families of hostages held by Hamas at the White House Tuesday, a White House official confirmed to NewsNation.

This comes as U.S. negotiators are making progress on a potential agreement under which Israel would pause military operations against Hamas in Gaza for two months in exchange for the release of more than 100 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to two senior administration officials.


The officials, who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive negotiations, said Saturday that emerging terms of the yet-to-be-sealed deal would play out over two phases.

While the proposed deal would not end the war, U.S. officials are hopeful that such an agreement could lay the groundwork for a durable resolution to the conflict.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to continue the offensive until complete victory over Hamas is achieved.

Netanyahu has faced increasing pressure from the families of many hostages who are demanding a deal to win their loved ones’ release.

The Oct. 7 attack killed some 1,200 people in Israel, and Hamas and other militants abducted around 250 people.

Around 100 hostages were freed under a weeklong cease-fire deal in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Around 130 remain captive, but a number have since been confirmed dead.

Hamas has previously said it will free more captives only in exchange for an end to the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.