On Friday’s broadcast of “NBC Nightly News,” NBC News Chief Washington Correspondent and Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent and MSNBC host Andrea Mitchell said that there is increased optimism for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza “because Hamas has agreed to big concessions.” And that while the largest reason is the weakening of Iran and Hezbollah by Israel and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, “A senior Biden official says a big factor was President-Elect Trump’s warning that Hamas will have hell to pay if they don’t release hostages before he takes office.”
Mitchell said, “U.S. and Israeli officials say there is growing optimism about a deal because Hamas has agreed to big concessions. A senior Biden official says a big factor was President-Elect Trump’s warning that Hamas will have hell to pay if they don’t release hostages before he takes office. The biggest factor, Hamas backers, Iran and Hezbollah, have [been] weakened by Israel, and Assad’s regime has collapsed. U.S. and Israeli officials tell us Hamas has now agreed Israeli forces can remain temporarily in parts of Gaza, they will release some hostages and account for those remaining. But there are still differences to be resolved. They’ve been close to a deal before and had it fall apart.”
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