After the Appointment of Sinwar as Hamas Leader.. Kirby: Our Position on Negotiations Has Not Changed

John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council at the White House, mentioned that "the head of Hamas' political bureau, Yahya Sinwar, was the architect of the attacks on October 7 and has always been the decision-maker in them," referring to the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation against Israel. He affirmed in a statement that "Sinwar, as the decision-maker, must accept a ceasefire agreement and the release of prisoners," announcing that "our stance on negotiations has not changed with Sinwar’s appointment as Hamas leader, and he must accept the deal and release the prisoners." Regarding talks on the Gaza war, Kirby noted that "we have made significant progress in bridging the gaps between the two sides, and there is a good proposal on the table for them to accept." Additionally, he revealed, "We have transferred significant capabilities to the region, and we will defend Israel in the event of an attack." On the Iranian response to Israel, Kirby stated, "I will not discuss our intelligence assessments, but we are certainly unable to reach the mind of the Supreme Leader in Iran (Mr. Ali Khamenei) and what he is thinking," adding, "It would be foolish to assume that Iranian proxies would not participate in an attack if Tehran decides to carry it out, and we are prepared for that." He disclosed that "our diplomatic efforts are ongoing, but if Tehran decides to carry out its threats, we are in a strong military position to deter them."