NBC News reported Monday that the Biden administration is considering holding Qatari-mediated talks with Hamas on a potential unilateral deal not involving Israel to secure the release of five American citizens who were captured during the October 7 attack on southern Israel.
Another three American citizens are believed to have been killed on October 7, and their families are seeking their remains. It’s unclear what the US could offer Hamas in exchange for the hostages, something that US officials acknowledged in comments to NBC.
The fact that the US is considering opening negotiations for a separate agreement signals that it doesn’t expect progress with the potential hostage deal that was recently outlined by President Biden.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently in Israel discussing the deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist he won’t agree to a permanent ceasefire, which is a key Hamas demand. US officials believe a deal between the US and Hamas could put more pressure on Netanyahu.
US officials also told NBC that the Israeli operation in the Nuseirat camp that killed over 200 Palestinians, including many women and children, and freed four Israeli hostages made a ceasefire deal less likely. The Biden administration claims it’s pushing for a ceasefire but gave Israel intelligence support for the massacre in Nuseirat and celebrated the operation despite the massive civilian death toll.
Why would they believe anything Biden/Blinken have to say? The US is offering nothing.
A Crooke mentioned that hostages were kept in private homes, allowed to go outside for sun and air. But facial recognition technology may pinpoint location. So now they will be brought to the tunnels.
The rescued girl and the elderly man interviewed looked in pretty darn good health. The man, in his interview by Haaretz, said that the main fear for the hostages was Israeli jets. He also said that he knew they were taken for negotiating and exchange for Palestinians held in "detention" (7,000).
Yes. I saw that.
What! not blindfolded, naked, zip-tied and squating in chainlink cage? Hamas obeying Geneva Convention on treatment of prisoners? No wonder the Zionazis hate them to death.
That was exactly so. Today, in UN Security Council meeting, following the adoption of “Israeli propisal” submitted by US delegation — a bombshell!
Israel rejects the just adopted resolution, primising to continue plan Israel decided on Day 1. Total Victory.
And then, reflecting on the fact that hostages were living with Palestinian families — Israel has decided that this proves that there are no innocent Palestinians. And that every family that had a hostage living with them is not an innocent bystander but an accomplice to Hamas crimes.
This all made US look mighty stupid. Russia was the only one abstaining on the grounds that the Security Council was not informed of any details, and Russia wanted to hear from Israel that supposedly authored this Resolution.
“The fact that the US is considering opening negotiations for a separate agreement signals that it doesn’t expect progress with the potential hostage deal that was recently outlined by President Biden.”
The fact is it was a put up job from the beginning… We all knew it.
What are the odds these 5 dual U.S.- Israeli citizens serve in the IDF ?
How about $1 billion for each US hostage…?
It should be a walk in the park for US with so much wasted money…!
What could the US possibly offer Hamas if Israel's ultimate goal was, and continues to be, destroying them?
Cash?
What good would that do if they have to eventually be eradicated? Dead with money is still dead.
Sinwar could take the money and move to Russia where he would be safe. (Unless he says something bad about Putin.) If he stays in Gaza, eventually an IDF bullet or missile will find him, if his own people don't turn on him first.
Well yes, clearly Israel has no particular interest in getting the hostages out. They would prefer to do it rescue mission style where they get to kill 50 Gazans per hostage rescued.
Good point. When else can you waste over 100 defenseless women and children and act like those lives don't mean a damn thing. And I would think we'll see more of them where there are no actual hostages present but it was either an intelligence failure or they revert back to Oct 7th. But they'll still get to do what they were most interested in doing. Killing Palestinians.
"Killing Palestinians" Or as Sinwar calls it "necessary sacrifices".
Knowing the sick bastards who were on the other side would gleefully oblige.
Great plan. Get 10,000s killed for PR points. Sinwar is such a "nice" guy.
What I said wasn't in defense of Sinwar. It was about Israel's willingness to oblige him and kill those tens of thousands. If you're going to use the human shield excuse, you still have to pull the trigger and drop the bombs on those innocents which Israel gleefully did/does. Israel creating a famine was just an added way of obliging. "Nice" guys.
Holding the hostages in civilian housing, what do expect was going to happen? Hamas, does not care. As Sinwar said that " Palestinian deaths are ‘necessary sacrifices’".
Why would ANYONE trust what the US says….
Another US Hypocrisy…! Negotiating with their Designated Terrorists…!
Who is the terrorist? Even Reagan said that a "terrorist" can be a freedom fighter. In international law the occupied has the right to defense and to throw off the yoke of occupation. In the manner of the "operations" of Israel and of the United States (millions killed in U.S. "operations" the world over), who is the terrorist? I wanted to post the "Terrorist?" video by Lowkey, but it has vanished from my favorites!
The emphasis was hypocrisy…!
What the? Today, I saw US Rep. in UN SC submit a Resolution outlining the proposed peace plan. This is, as US Rep said — Israel plan. Resolution was accepted, with Russia abstaining. The chief reason for abstaining is the question of Israeli acceptance of the deal, in fact, Russian Rep. asked for Israel to speak. Isrseli Rep did not support the peace plan! Quite the opposite, Israel claims that their plan FROM DAY ONE. has not changed – total victory. Israel does not want endless negotiations, etc. i was stunned! The Resolution , just adopted, does envision negotiations, to go even after Phase I, but the cessefire continues. Yet, Israel has absolutely — unequivocally — rejected the very essence of US Resolution in the speach following the Resolution acceptance by the Security Ciuncil! Are we seeing just a Biden election stunt?