AND’ clash between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu. The American president attacks the Israeli prime minister, accusing him of “not doing enough to find an agreement” for the end of the war in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. The Biden administration has been working for months to reach an agreement with Qatar and Egypt, also because among the hostages there are some American citizens.
The Israeli response is immediate. Biden’s words are “particularly dangerous” as you pronounce “just a few days after that Hamas Executed Six Israeli Hostages, Including an American Citizen“, says a senior official in Netanyahu’s office, referring to the killing of Hersh Goldberg-Polin. “It is disconcerting that President Biden is pressuring the prime minister.”
Netanyahu: “We are for a ceasefire agreement, Hamas is not”
Netanyahu, under pressure from the general strike that is further increasing tension in Israel, insists on declaring his commitment to reaching an agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of the hostages, held for almost eleven months in the Palestinian enclave. The prime minister once again accuses Hamas, “from which unfortunately we do not see a similar response”.
“We agreed to the formula presented on May 31 by President Biden,” he said at a press conference. “We accepted the so-called ‘bridge proposal’ of August 16. Hamas rejected the first. And it rejected the second.”
The prime minister, in an extremely complicated moment, asks for forgiveness from the relatives of the six hostages whose lifeless bodies were recovered over the weekend in the Gaza Strip. “I told the families, I repeat it and I say it this evening: I ask your forgiveness for not being able to bring them back alive. We were very close, but we did not succeed.” Hamas “will pay a high price,” he adds calling for the country to “remain united” in the face of a “brutal and ferocious enemy”.
Hamas and the threat: “Hostages will return to coffins”
In an all against all, the message of Hamas is inserted, which, in a constant exchange of blows, blames Netanyahu for stalemate“The insistence” of the Israeli prime minister “on releasing the prisoners through military pressure, instead of reaching an agreement, will mean that they will be returned in coffins to their families,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing, the Ezzedin al-Qassam Brigades, was quoted by al-Jazeera satellite TV as saying.
The broadcaster reports that new ‘instructions’ that would have been given by the armed wing of the group to the guards who are holding hostages in the Gaza Strip and of ‘orders’ that would concern the possible approach of Israeli forces to the sites where the people kidnapped in the attack of 7 October in Israel are being held.
Biden and Harris meet with US negotiating team
Just yesterday, Biden and Kamala Harris met with the U.S. negotiating team for the hostage deal following the death of American Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other kidnapped Americans. According to a White House statement, Biden expressed his “devastation” and “outrage” over what happened to Goldberg-Polin and reiterated the importance of holding Hamas leaders accountable.
During the meeting, the President and Harris received an “update” from negotiators on the status of the bridge proposal outlined by the United States, Qatar and Egypt. Finally they were discussed “the next steps” to be taken to secure the release of the hostagesincluding ongoing consultations with mediator countries Qatar and Egypt.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, CIA Director William Burns, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and White House Middle East envoy Brett McGurk.
Demonstrations against Netanyahu
Thousands of people returned to the streets in Israel yesterday, for the third consecutive day, to ask the prime minister for a breakthrough towards the agreement. Near Netanyahu’s residence in Jerusalem At least ten people have been arrested amid the protests.
The rally was later declared illegal and police intervened with water cannons and mounted units to disperse the protest. There was also a demonstration in front of Netanyahu’s residence in northern Tel Aviv. “There’s no more time! Bring them home!“, the most popular slogan.
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