President Joe Biden offered an update on Thursday regarding efforts to broker a deal for the release of hostages in Gaza, stating that he remains optimistic that an agreement can be reached before his term ends on January 20. Biden mentioned, “We’re making some real progress. I met with negotiators today…I think we’re seeing some progress,” while speaking to the press, which largely focused on the wildfires in Los Angeles. He expressed his continued optimism, saying, “I know hope springs eternal, but I’m still hopeful that we can have a [deal]. Hamas is the one getting in the way of that right now, but I think we may be able to get that done. We need to get it done.”
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared his perspective that a deal involving both hostages and a ceasefire was nearly finalized. “In the Middle East, we’re very close to a ceasefire and hostage agreement,” Blinken remarked. “I hope that we can get it over the line in the time that we have left. But if we don’t, then the plan that President Biden put forward for a ceasefire/hostage deal will be handed over to the incoming administration. And I believe that when we get that deal – and we’ll get it – it will be on the basis of the plan that President Biden put before the world back in May.” He also highlighted the extensive work done by the Biden administration on the post-ceasefire arrangements, including plans for Gaza’s security, governance, and reconstruction, referring to it as a “day after plan.”
Earlier in the week, a senior Hamas official informed Reuters that the organization had approved a list of 34 hostages for release, as provided by Israel. However, the Prime Minister’s Office swiftly denied this report, stating, “Contrary to what was claimed, Hamas has yet to provide a list of hostages.” The negotiations have been complicated, with Qatar, the U.S., and Egypt acting as mediators between Hamas and Israel, but little progress has been made, as Hamas has rejected every proposal put forward thus far.
White House National Security communications adviser John Kirby recently conveyed that the administration is “actively working” on securing a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas. However, he emphasized that “Hamas is the obstacle” preventing a resolution. Blinken echoed these remarks in an interview with The New York Times, stating that a deal had been “so close on several occasions.” He pointed to two primary hurdles standing in the way of an agreement. First, he explained, “Hamas, when they saw Israel under pressure publicly, they pulled back” from their previous willingness to agree to a ceasefire and hostages’ release. Secondly, he noted that Hamas continues to believe there could be a broader conflict involving other groups like Hezbollah and Iran, with hopes that if such a scenario unfolded, “Israel would have its hands full and Hamas could continue what it was doing.”
{Matzav.com}