Biden envoy to the Middle East: “There is a real chance of regional escalation”

Brett McGurk, President Biden’s envoy to the Middle East, said tonight (between Friday and Saturday) at the IAC conference of an organization of the Israeli-American community that “there is a real chance of regional escalation.” Regarding the war in Gaza and the deal to return the kidnapped, he said: “Justice will come with Yahya Sinwar, make no mistake. It is unacceptable that Hamas is holding hostages, and they should be released.” According to him, there is a deal on the table: “If Hamas says no to a deal, then there is no deal, we are dealing here with a terrorist organization and Sinwar is an obstacle to achieving the deal.”McGurk responded to the reports according to which the American administration does not believe that a deal is possible until after the elections: “No deal seems possible until it’s over. So I won’t tell everyone that it won’t happen.” He added that the obstacle at the moment is the keys of prisoners in exchange for hostages and that the contacts are now focused on these details.

To the question of whether the Israeli government had the same desire to promote a deal as the US and the mediators, McGurk answered: “It’s a difficult negotiation, we are mediators together with Egypt and Qatar, and Israel was ready to make compromises, but we need Hamas to reach the finish line – until then we won’t see agreement”.

McGurk noted that the American administration shares Israel’s goal of returning the evacuees from the north to their homes safely: “We do not think a war with Lebanon is the way to return the residents to their homes. We support Israel and the defense of its borders against Hezbollah.”

“Abrahim Akil, who was killed today, was also responsible for the attack on the embassy in Beirut 40 years ago, so no one sheds a tear for him,” he said. “We have differences of opinion as to how the risks of escalation are measured, it is indeed a worrying situation, but I am sure that through diplomacy and deterrence it can be resolved,” he noted. When asked if there is a chance that the possibility of escalation could be lowered in view of the current reality, McGurk answered: “I think so. It will be difficult but possible.” McGurk added: “This is Nasrallah’s decision to tie the fate of Lebanon to Sinwar and it is a very bad decision.