Hostage deal talks between Israel and Hamas are on hold following the Israeli assassination of Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, The Times of Israel reported Monday.
Haniyeh was the top Hamas official outside of Gaza, putting him in charge of the negotiations with Israel. He was a proponent of reaching a deal with Israel, and his assassination is seen as an effort by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ensure that won’t happen.
Israeli officials told the Times that hostage deal talks would not restart until after Iran launches an attack on Israel as a reprisal for killing Haniyeh in Tehran. Hamas also needs to name a replacement for Haniyeh for talks to resume.
The report said the US, Qatar, and Egypt understand that talks will become much more difficult in the wake of the killing of Haniyeh. The situation with Iran could also escalate into a full-blown regional war involving the US, which would make a hostage deal even less likely.
In the weeks leading up to Haniyeh’s assassination, it was widely acknowledged that Netanyahu was sabotaging the chances of a hostage and ceasefire deal by making new demands after Hamas made concessions.
Over the weekend, Haaretz reported that President Biden realized Netanyahu was lying to him about wanting a hostage deal. But the US has still not publicly criticized Netanyahu and is vowing to defend Israel from any Iranian reprisal attack.
Fuq Israel. FJB, FABlinken, FLAustin.
….And the beat goes on….
Israel wants war, not peace. How convenient that the murder of the Hamas leader may destroy any peace initiative. For Israel, that is!
Then this: https://news.antiwar.com/2024/08/05/israel-sends-truck-full-of-dead-palestinians-into-gaza/
Dementia Joe is just now realizing Netanyahu has had no desire for a resolution, and ending of the war with a hostage exchange? BWAHAHAHAHA!
Israeli officials told the Times that hostage deal talks would not restart until after Iran launches an attack on Israel as a reprisal for killing Haniyeh in Tehran.
So, there will be no talks until after Iran attacks. But they'll get right back to the table after that happens. You really can't make this shit up.
Hey, just kill the head negotiators. Israel and their brilliant diplomacy!
See how anxious they were about the negotiations
"President Biden realized Netanyahu was lying to him about wanting a hostage deal."
Anyone who believes that self-serving bullshit is a moron. Biden and Netanyahu are joined at the hip. As was pointed out yesterday, Biden and Netanayahu have known each other for FORTY YEARS. Only morons believe that they don't totally understand each other and share the same intentions.