Biden administration considering direct negotiations with Hamas for release of remaining American hostages if current talks with Israel fail

06/12/2024 / By Laura Harris

Officials within the administration of President Joe Biden are contemplating a unilateral deal with Hamas to secure the release of the five remaining American hostages in the Palestinian militant group’s hands if the current ceasefire and hostage release talks with Israel fail.

According to the statement of two current and two former senior United States officials, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, this potential negotiation would be pursued independently of Israel if the ongoing ceasefire talks fail. The discussions involve leveraging Qatari intermediaries, as has been the practice in the current negotiations, to communicate with Hamas. (Related: Hamas FREES 2 American hostages on HUMANITARIAN grounds.)

The five U.S. citizens still believed to be held by Hamas are Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Omer Neutra and Keith Siegel. All five were abducted during the Oct. 7 attack.

Additionally, the U.S. is hoping to secure the release of the remains of three American citizens believed to have been killed during the Oct. 7 attack – Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein and Gad Haggai – and whose bodies were taken into the Gaza Strip.

“We are prepared to take all necessary steps to ensure the safe return of American citizens. Our commitment to their safety is unwavering,” a senior administration official said.

The officials did not specify what the U.S. might offer in exchange for the hostages’ release. However, they suggested that Hamas might be motivated to agree to a unilateral deal to exacerbate U.S.-Israel tensions and increase domestic political pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One former official noted that the possibility of the U.S. cutting a separate deal with Hamas could also compel Netanyahu to agree to a version of the current ceasefire proposal.

Israel’s failed operations in Gaza to rescue hostages frustrates Biden

The report of the U.S. potentially undermining Israeli ceasefire negotiations came after an Israeli operation in Gaza rescued four hostages at the cost of at least 274 Palestinians killed.

The hostages rescued during the raid were identified as Noa Argamani, 26; Almog Meir Jan, 22; Andrey Kozlov, 27; and Shlomi Ziv, 41. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari and Israel Defense Forces spokesperson reported that the hostages were held in two apartment buildings.

However, the high number of casualties from the raid has sparked a significant international backlash against Israel.

According to ABC News, the recent raid, which took place on June 8, is part of a broader Israeli offensive that has claimed the lives of nearly 37,000 Palestinians since its inception. The figures provided by the Gaza Health Ministry do not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties, which has added to the complexity of the humanitarian crisis. Among the latest casualties, 64 children and 57 women were reported dead, with 153 children and 161 women among the injured.

Visuals from the aftermath of the raid, broadcast by various news outlets, depicted the Gaza Central camp in devastation. Roads were littered with debris and the wounded, many suffering from severe injuries and amputations.

All this contributed to the increasing frustration of Biden toward the Israeli government, which resulted in the consideration of a unilateral deal with Hamas.

Visit WWIII.news for more stories related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Watch this video from Southfront Press discussing the very costly gains Israel is making in its invasion of Gaza.

This video is from the channel The Prisoner on Brighteon.com.