Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adviser Mark Regev said Friday on CNN’s “The Situation Room” that Hamas can “extend the humanitarian pause” if they release more hostages.
Anchor Wolf Blitzer said, “Did today’s release and all the events supposed to take place go as you expected?”
Regev said, “Probably better than expected when you’re dealing with a terrorist group like Hamas, you have low expectations. But I think President Biden said it well when he said that Hamas responds to pressure. I think their need for a cease-fire after being on the receiving end of the IDF’s blows. They need a timeout. I think we got this deal.”
He continued, “So far, the humanitarian pause is holding better than expected. It’s been remarkably quiet. That incident that you talk about, there were clear understandings reached in what is acceptable and not acceptable during this humanitarian pause. Israel was responding to violations of what was not acceptable. The other side knows that.”
Blitzer said, “So, as of right now, the U.S. and Israel, from your perspective, are exactly the same page?”
Regev said, “We’re definitely on the big issues on the same page. Once again, I don’t think we would have had this arrangement to get out the 50 people over four days without the direct involvement of the president.”
He added, “Hamas has the option to extend the humanitarian pause all they have to do is release more hostages. They have that option. We’ll see what they do.”
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