US Intensifies Efforts to Secure Hostage Releases as Soon as Possible

The United States is applying significant pressure to ensure the rapid release of as many hostages as possible, a senior diplomatic source told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.

"This is what the Americans want more hostages released in shorter periods of time and I hope it happens," the source stated. A second source confirmed that the US is actively engaged in negotiations to accelerate the process.

US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff, currently in Israel, met with hostage families in Tel Aviv, expressing optimism about the next steps in the ongoing efforts. He emphasized that there is also a focus on repatriating the remains of deceased hostages for proper burial in Israel.

Following meetings with key Israeli officials, Witkoff noted, "I met with Mr. Smotrich and Mr. Deri today. Everyone is feeling the joy of people coming home and reuniting with their families."

Earlier, Witkoff suggested in an interview with KAN News that an additional hostage could be freed by Friday. However, officials close to the negotiations later clarified that Saturday is the more likely timeline.

During his visit, Witkoff also met with Liri Albag, Naama Levy, Daniella Gilboa, and Karina Ariev, the four IDF observers recently released from Hamas captivity. His discussions highlighted continued US involvement in securing the freedom of the remaining hostages.

With negotiations ongoing, the international community continues to watch closely, hoping for more breakthroughs in bringing the remaining hostages home.

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