US says Israel-Hamas hostage deal remains ‚possible,‘ would have ‚tremendous‘ benefits

The United States says an Israel-Hamas deal to free hostages in return for a pause in fighting remains possible and would have „tremendous“ benefits, after a deadly Israeli operation freed two captives. „We do believe that a deal is possible and we’re going to continue to pursue it,“ State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller tells reporters during a briefing. „We think the benefits of a pause and a deal for hostages are tremendous, not just obviously for the hostages who would be released but also for the humanitarian effort in Gaza and for our ability to begin to pursue a real and lasting, sustainable resolution of this conflict,“ he adds. SOUNDBITE