The next is a transcript of an interview with nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan that aired on Nov. 26, 2023.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to White Home Nationwide Safety Adviser Jake Sullivan. Jake, good morning to you. Little Abigail Idan, the youngest US citizen hostage turned 4 years outdated whereas in captivity in Gaza this previous week. She is certainly one of three feminine US residents who we anticipated to be launched on this first part of the deal that you simply helped work on right here. A number of sources point out that People are on the record to be launched immediately, together with Abigail. Are you able to verify that?
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER JAKE SULLIVAN: Nicely, Margaret, we do have motive to imagine that People will probably be launched immediately, a minimum of one American will probably be launched immediately. I can’t verify who it is going to be or that it’ll completely occur, as a result of till we see that American out of Gaza, in security and in the end within the fingers of their family members, we cannot have full affirmation. And so we now have been in shut contact with the Israeli authorities, with Qatar, with Egypt. And we do have motive to imagine that there will probably be an American launched immediately. However let’s wait and see what truly occurs, due to course, we’re coping with a terrorist group right here and we will not instantly belief. Now we have to confirm.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. However as a part of that diplomacy, that is that delicate change, Palestinian prisoners, support getting into. Are all these different items on observe immediately?
SULLIVAN: Nicely, there continues to be fairly a little bit of depth across the logistics of the supply of humanitarian help. That humanitarian help is flowing, and has been flowing for a number of hours this morning. The Israelis have indicated the record of Palestinian prisoners they’re ready to launch, in order that needs to be on observe. Now we have each motive to imagine that it will come collectively once more immediately, it has for the final two days. However implementation of one thing as intricate and complex as that is troublesome. And so, till we truly see it occur, we’re going to stay cautious in what we are saying and that is why I am not being extra forward-leaning in indicating what’s occurring with an American citizen popping out immediately. We’ll keep cautious. We’ll keep centered on getting each factor to this in place. After which when an American comes throughout that border and into security, we are able to all rejoice collectively.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I feel everybody can agree with you that they’re- they’re hoping for- to see that as effectively, Jake. I do know this primary part of the deal is concentrated on girls and youngsters. There are 10 People unaccounted for at this level. Do you anticipate this truce will probably be prolonged and that every one the People, together with the lads, will come residence?
SULLIVAN: I’ve each confidence that in the end, the entire People and the entire people being held hostage will come residence. We’re decided to not relaxation till that occurs. However whether or not or not this specific deal will get prolonged, that is actually as much as Hamas. As a result of Israel has been very clear as a part of the deal. It’s ready to proceed the pause in preventing for day by day that Hamas produces a further 10 hostages. So, the ball is in Hamas’ courtroom. If Hamas chooses on the fifth day and the sixth day and the seventh day, to proceed to supply hostages, to return them to their family members, to return them to security, then Israel is ready to proceed the pause within the preventing. If Hamas decides to not do it, the duty will request- will relaxation squarely on Hamas’ shoulders.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Your deputy, Jon Finer, was on Face the Nation final Sunday and informed us Israel believes Hamas leaders are hiding within the south of Gaza fight operations are deliberate for that space. However he stated they need to be held off till civilians are accounted for in Israel’s navy planning. Is the US glad with the assurances offered by Israel?
SULLIVAN: Nicely, actually, that is about operations and never nearly dialog. So, what the US is hoping to see and admittedly, what I imagine Israel is hoping to see, is the situations being set whereby any navy motion solely takes place after civilians have been accounted for and have the chance to be in security, to have entry to humanitarian help, and to be out of the way in which of any navy operation that’s carried out. That is the dialog we’re having with the Israelis proper now. It is a constructive dialog and the main points of it should stay behind closed doorways. However the fundamental notion that persevering with navy operations ought to study classes from the north to be utilized in any additional undertakings. That is one thing that we now have been discussing with the Israelis at size.
MARGARET BRENNAN: President Biden was requested this previous week in regards to the name by a few of his fellow Democrats to place situations on navy support to Israel, and he stated it was quote, ”a worthwhile thought.” What particular situations are you contemplating placing on US support?
SULLIVAN: Nicely, Margaret, what the President truly stated was, it is a worthwhile thought, however the method that I’ve taken, I, Joe Biden have taken, has truly helped generate outcomes. It has been excessive stage, presidential diplomacy, deep, private, and oftentimes non-public engagement–
(CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: — Nicely he stated it would not have gotten us the place we’re now–
SULLIVAN: — That has led to- a deep, private, and personal engagement that has led to a considerable and rising quantity of humanitarian help going into Gaza. 1000’s of overseas nationals, together with Americans having the ability to depart safely from Gaza, a pause within the preventing for the primary time for the reason that battle started, and a hostage deal that’s bringing hostages residence to their family members after 50 days. That has all been the results of what President Biden has described because the method that he has taken on this battle. And when he answered that query, he acknowledged the thought. However then he stated in the identical breath, that the method that he has taken is what has been producing outcomes. And we’re seeing these outcomes now daily, as we see family members return to their households, a pause within the preventing, and a considerable surge in humanitarian help getting into. That’s all the results of American diplomacy that was not inevitable. And that, we imagine, is what is constant to generate outcomes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you saying that what the President was indicating was ”No, there will not be any restrictions?”
SULLIVAN: No, all of us noticed what he stated. He acknowledged the idea–
MARGARET BRENNAN: –So, there is perhaps restrictions?–
SULLIVAN: –After which he stated, however the method I am taking- Margaret, the President made clear in his feedback that he thought the method that he’s taking is the method that has generated the outcomes that we now have seen to date. And he’s going to proceed to have interaction in precisely that sort of diplomacy. The truth is, he has a name setup for immediately with Prime Minister Netanyahu. And I feel you will notice the US proceed to do what we now have been doing, and significantly President Biden proceed to do what he’s doing, as a result of that’s what is producing outcomes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, as a result of Senator Sanders has an op-ed within the New York Instances making very particular calls for when it comes to restrictions on support, saying there needs to be a freeze on settlement growth within the West Financial institution, a dedication to a two-state answer. Are these cheap issues to require of the Israeli authorities earlier than further support is handed over?
SULLIVAN: No one has been a stronger advocate for a two-state answer than President Joe Biden, who has been talking about it publicly–
(CROSSTALK)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood and the Israeli – the present Israeli authorities has not been.
SULLIVAN: –in addition to privately. And so far as the President is anxious, that is the sine qua non of a long-lasting peace within the area. We have to see a two-state answer, Israelis and Palestinians in equal measures of freedom and dignity residing facet by facet each other in peace. That’s the President’s imaginative and prescient, that’s what he will work intensively in direction of, not simply after the battle, however beginning now. And I feel you will notice him take a backseat to nobody when it comes to driving ahead on that till we obtain that aim.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you suppose this can be a second for that diplomacy, given what Prime Minister Netanyahu has stated? Given what some members of his authorities have stated?
SULLIVAN: We imagine that that is completely a second for us to be working with everybody within the area, the Israeli authorities, the Palestinians, the Arab nations, our European companions, others in direction of a two-state answer. And President Biden laid that out intimately in an op-ed that he wrote in The Washington Publish not way back. So the reply to your query is sure, we do suppose this can be a second for that sort of diplomacy.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Jake Sullivan, thanks to your time this morning.