US, Israeli officials say deal to release dozens of hostages could be near in coming days

BY LAUREN SFORZA

© Associated Press

U.S. and Israeli officials said Sunday that a deal to release dozens of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza could be closing in the coming days after news broke Saturday night that indicated such a plan was crystalizing.

Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer said on ABC’s “This Week” that “more than dozens” of hostages could be released as part of a potential deal brokered by the U.S., Israel and Hamas via intermediaries in Qatar. For more than a month, U.S. officials have said they are prioritizing getting the hostages out of Gaza. In the latest round of negotiations, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Herzog said Sunday that a deal could be closed in the next few days.

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National security official says hostage deal is ‘closer’ than they’ve been since the start of the war

BY LAUREN SFORZA 

NBC’s Kristen Welker asked Finer on “Meet the Press” about reports that officials are close to securing a deal among the U.S., Israel and Hamas to release some of the 240 hostages its militants kidnapped on Oct. 7. Finer, who did not offer many details of the potential deal, said that it is not finalized yet but that they are getting closer. 

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US moving toward imposing travel ban on West Bank settlers associated with violence against Palestinians

BY SARAH FORTINSKY

The United States is moving toward imposing new policies restricting entry to the country to “extreme settles” in the West Bank who are “associated with violence,” officials said this weekend.

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Blumenthal calls on Israel, US to release more intelligence on Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital

BY LAUREN SFORZA 

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Sunday called on Israel and the United States to release more intelligence on the al-Shifa Hospital, which Israeli forces claimed was being used as a base for militant group Hamas, a notion that the U.S. said it backs.

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Kristen Welker presses Biden official over Israel following international law

BY LAUREN SFORZA

NBC’s Kristen Welker pressed deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer on Sunday over whether the U.S. is confident that Israel is following international law when it comes to its operations in Gaza with the Biden administration official appearing to dodge answering the question.

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US official says there’s ‘real concern’ over a potential Israeli operation in southern Gaza

BY LAUREN SFORZA

Finer said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that while Israel has the right to expand operations into southern Gaza, it should be wary of the civilians who have fled their in recent weeks to escape the Israeli bombardment of other parts of Gaza. He said Israel should not go forward with any potential plans there before it accounts for the safety of civilians.

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DeSantis dodges on Musk’s antisemitic post:  ‘I’ve never seen him indulge in any of that’

BY SARAH FORTINSKY

In an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union,” anchor Jake Tapper pressed DeSantis on whether he would condemn the post on X, formerly Twitter, which Tapper noted prompted Apple and Disney to pull their ads from the platform. Tapper described Musk’s post as an endorsement of an “antisemitic conspiracy theory that Jews are conspiring to replace white Americans with minority immigrants.”

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Biden’s support among Democrats erodes on handling of Israel-Hamas war

BY LAUREN SFORZA

A new poll by NBC News found that just 34 percent of all voters approved of how Biden is handling the Israel-Hamas war, which has been ongoing since militant group Hamas launched its deadly incursion into southern Israel on Oct. 7. Since the onset of the fighting, Biden has remained adamant over the U.S.’s continued support to Israel.

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Christie says he would not call for a ‘freeze’ in West Bank settlements amid escalating violence

BY LAUREN SFORZA

GOP presidential candidate Chris Christie said Sunday he would not call for a “freeze” in West Bank settlements amid escalating violence in the region.

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Raskin says call for cease-fire, pause should include deal to free hostages, remove Hamas

BY SARAH FORTINSKY

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) stipulated on Sunday that his call for a humanitarian pause or cease-fire between Israel and Hamas must include the removal of the militant group, along with the release of hostages.

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