State Department says proximity talks narrowed issues; hopes for 60-day ceasefire and partial hostage releases

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said U.S.-led proximity talks had reduced outstanding issues and that negotiators were "hopeful by the end of this week" for an agreement that would deliver a 60-day ceasefire and secure some hostage releases. Bruce told reporters the talks had moved from four outstanding issues to one after two days of proximity talks.

Why it matters: A negotiated ceasefire and hostage releases would shape immediate humanitarian access and the near-term security situation in and around Gaza. Bruce said that negotiating parties had discussed specific elements including a temporary ceasefire, phased hostage releases and humanitarian access but had not signed any agreement.

Bruce said negotiators expected "10 live hostages will be released. 9 deceased will be released," and that the parties were meeting with hostage families. On humanitarian access, reporters asked whether Israel or the United States wanted GHF to be an approved channel; Bruce replied the talks had not produced a signed agreement and that the focus remained on securing a ceasefire and safe delivery of aid through agreed channels.

Bruce cautioned that earlier ceasefires had broken down and that the administration was focused on ensuring any deal would hold. She said the administration had emphasized the importance of aid "delivered by United Nations, Red Crescent, and other agreed channels," and that the U.S. remained committed to getting aid to people in Gaza while seeking measures to reduce diversion of supplies to Hamas.

Bruce also said the U.S. position remains that Hamas is a terrorist organization and that negotiations were aimed at ending hostilities and securing hostages; she declined to discuss operational details of the talks or to attribute discovery or negotiating leads to particular outside agencies. No agreement had been signed at the time of the briefing.