Biden says a hostage deal is "very close" but cautions "nothing is done until it’s done"

US President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday that efforts to retrieve a group of civilian hostages held by Hamas in Gaza since October 7 are “now very close” following extensive negotiations over the past six weeks. 

“We’re now very close. Very close. And could bring some of these hostages home very soon. I don’t want to get into the details of things because nothing is done until it’s done. When we have more to say, we will. But things are looking good at the moment,” Biden said during a meeting in the White House. 

CNN has previously reported the deal would call for the release of 50 women and children hostages in exchange for a four-to-five-day pause in fighting and three Palestinian prisoners for every civilian hostage released, according to multiple sources.

“We’ve been working on this intensively for weeks, as you all know,” Biden said, pointing to his own talks in recent days with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and US officials on the ground in the region. 

Pressed by CNN’s MJ Lee for details on how many American hostages could be released, Biden declined to say.

“I’ll have plenty of time to talk about the hostages. Not now. I’m not going to tell you now,” he said