President Joe Biden’s national security team currently has no plans to present him with an updated proposal to end the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, according to two senior administration officials. This signals that efforts to reach a ceasefire are at a standstill. Although there were recent indications that a new proposal was being prepared for Biden’s review, the officials now say that they need to be sure Hamas is willing to agree to such a deal. At this time, they believe Hamas is not prepared to negotiate seriously.
A key issue in the negotiations is the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for hostages taken by Hamas. Recently, Hamas has demanded the release of prisoners serving life sentences in return for civilian hostages, a shift from earlier discussions where such prisoners were only considered for exchange with Israeli soldiers.
U.S. officials are attributing the delay in negotiations to Hamas and its leader, Yahya Sinwar, questioning whether they genuinely want to reach an agreement. The recent execution of six hostages, including an Israeli American, has further complicated matters and angered those involved in the talks.
There is also growing concern in Washington about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s willingness to end the conflict. Netanyahu has insisted that Israeli troops remain in a strategic area called the Philadelphi Corridor even if a ceasefire is reached. Some U.S. officials believe this stance is not helping the negotiation process.
Ending the Israel-Hamas war before President Biden’s term ends in January is a major priority for the administration. Despite ongoing efforts, there is skepticism about whether a deal can be achieved before Biden leaves office. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby mentioned that while talks are continuing, it is unclear if a successful agreement can be reached, especially after the recent hostage executions.Kirby emphasized that the administration is working hard to make progress, but the future of the negotiations remains uncertain.