
President Joe Biden expressed dissatisfaction with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s efforts to secure a deal for hostages held in Gaza. He mentioned that the U.S. was close to presenting a final proposal to negotiators, focusing on a hostage and ceasefire agreement.
Biden’s comments followed the recovery of six hostages’ bodies, including 23-year-old American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, from a Gaza tunnel. The Israeli military stated that these hostages had been recently killed by Palestinian Hamas, leading to criticism of Biden’s Gaza ceasefire strategy.
Netanyahu responded by shifting the blame to Hamas, arguing that Israel should not be pressured to make concessions after the hostages’ deaths. He questioned the message such concessions would send to Hamas, suggesting it would encourage more hostage killings.
Biden, addressing the media, indicated the U.S. was close to finalizing a proposal for a hostage deal, while expressing hope for its success. He and Vice President Kamala Harris also met with the U.S. hostage negotiation team to discuss the next steps in securing the hostages’ release.
Israeli and Hamas officials reacted differently to Biden’s criticism. Israeli sources found Biden’s pressure on Netanyahu surprising, while Hamas viewed it as acknowledgment of Netanyahu’s responsibility for hindering a deal. Protests in Israel demanded the government secure a deal to bring the hostages home.