The Biden administration is preparing to present a "take it or leave it" ceasefire and hostage-release deal to Israel and Hamas in the coming weeks, according to a senior US official speaking to The Washington Post. This move comes as Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six hostages in Gaza, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
The grim discovery has added new urgency to the months-long American-led negotiations, officials said. However, it remains unclear whether the development will make an agreement more or less likely in the near term. "You can't keep negotiating this. This process has to be called at some point," the senior official told The Washington Post. "Does it derail the deal? No. If anything, it should add additional urgency in this closing phase, which we were already in."
The Israel Defense Forces stated that the six hostages were killed by their captors "shortly before" they were found. US officials share a similar assessment, believing the hostages were executed not long before their bodies were discovered in a tunnel beneath Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.
Inside Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure from hostages' families and the public. Hundreds of thousands of protesters participated in nationwide demonstrations on Sunday, and Israel's largest labor union has called for a general strike on Monday.
Wow. Aerial video of massive protest in Tel Aviv, Israel tonight of nearly 300,000 people, demanding a ceasefire hours after bodies of 6 hostages were retrieved from Gaza tunnel. Largest rally since war: pic.twitter.com/2KtqWUk7ef
— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) September 1, 2024
Hamas, in a statement, blamed Israeli bombings for the deaths, adding, "If President Biden is concerned about their lives, he must stop supporting this enemy with money and weapons and pressure the occupation to end its aggression immediately."
US officials were negotiating final details of a "bridging proposal" between Israel and Hamas last week, focusing on which hostages would be exchanged for specific Palestinian prisoners. The recent deaths of the six hostages have complicated these negotiations, requiring a reevaluation of the proposed exchanges.
Frank Lowenstein, a former State Department official, said, "Rhetoric aside, Netanyahu has never prioritized freeing the hostages. For now, he will be under a lot more domestic pressure to accept a ceasefire deal that saves the remaining hostages."
Both Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar have been described as stubborn in reaching a deal. Netanyahu has faced criticism from various quarters, including the Israeli security establishment and hostage families, for delaying an agreement by insisting on new demands.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have chosen not to publicly pressure Netanyahu into a deal, instead condemning Hamas for the hostages' deaths. This approach contrasts with the harsh criticism Netanyahu faces within Israel.
American Jewish groups have privately expressed frustration with Netanyahu but have been reluctant to challenge him publicly, according to a person familiar with internal discussions among several major organizations.
The discovery of the hostages' bodies has intensified political debates in the US Republican party, including Senator Lindsey Graham, who has called for continued support of Israel's military campaign and potential action against Iran. Democrats, meanwhile, have emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill) said in a statement, "A ceasefire must be reached immediately that allows all remaining hostages to be released, humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, and an elusive and neglected long-term vision for peace and stability to become a reality."
