A photo of President Biden with Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Oval Office on 25 July was released by Reuters. The Biden administration believes that a ceasefire would help calm the region.
During a live television appearance earlier this week, the mother of an Israeli hostage held in Gaza made a proposal to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar: release all 109 hostages – dead or alive – in exchange for the children of Israel’s security chiefs. However, she was not advocating for a ceasefire deal but rather pushing for a stronger fight against Hamas.
Ditza Or, whose son Avinatan was kidnapped during the October attacks, is among a few pro-war hostage families who are supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu is facing pressure from various sources, including the US, his security chiefs, and his defense minister, to be more flexible in reaching a deal.
Reports of a phone call between Netanyahu and President Biden suggested that the US leader urged Netanyahu to stop stalling and work towards a deal. Negotiations in Cairo this week have revealed differences between Netanyahu and his negotiators and defense chiefs.
Netanyahu has prioritized defeating Hamas over bringing back hostages, emphasizing the preservation of Israel’s security amid domestic and foreign pressures. He is adamant about maintaining an Israeli military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, despite opposition from negotiators.
Hamas is demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces, indicating that Netanyahu’s stance is hindering progress in negotiations. The group believes that Netanyahu is using negotiations to buy time and avoid making concessions.
Egypt is insisting on Palestinian control on their shared border as a condition for any deal. The US is pushing for a ceasefire to prevent wider escalation and calm the region.
Despite pressure from various sources, including his own defense minister, Netanyahu is hesitant to agree to a ceasefire deal. He believes that giving in to Hamas would show weakness to Hezbollah and Iran.
Netanyahu also has political incentives to delay negotiations, as his approval ratings have improved in recent months. The next round of talks is scheduled for Sunday, but the prospects for a deal are diminishing. Reuters
Ella fue dejada, dijo, con “un sentimiento pesado y difícil de que esto no va a pasar pronto”.
El reloj está sonando en estas negociaciones: para la gente de Gaza, para los rehenes israelíes aún retenidos allí en túneles, para la región en general.
Pero para el Sr. Sinwar y el Sr. Netanyahu, quizás la arma más poderosa que tienen en esta guerra es el tiempo.