US envoy to visit Egypt, Israel for hostage talks, official says

[February 20, 2024]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk will travel to the region this week for continued talks on securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, a senior Biden administration official said on Tuesday. 

U.S. envoy to the coalition against Islamic State Brett McGurk attends the Kuwait International Conference for Reconstruction of Iraq, in Bayan, Kuwait February 13, 2018. REUTERS/Stephanie McGehee

McGurk, who participated in earlier negotiations, will visit Egypt on Wednesday and Israel on Thursday, the official said.

The meetings are the latest in ongoing talks between the United States, Egypt, Israel and Qatar that seek to broker a pause in the war and the release of more than 100 hostages held by Hamas following its deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

Meanwhile, the U.S. is also proposing a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and opposing a major ground offensive by its ally Israel in Rafah, after signaling a U.S. veto on a rival resolution on Tuesday that it said could jeopardize talks.

The United States does "not plan to rush" to a vote in order to allow time for negotiations, a senior U.S. administration official told Reuters on Monday, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

U.S. officials have said the ongoing hostage talks have been productive but have required more ongoing work.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

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