US officials said Yahya Sinwar «seems determined to just sit underground and hold hostages»; Photo: Hassan Mrad/IMAGESLIVE/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas, is blocking deal to free Israeli hostages, Biden administration says.
Agreement to release 133 people Hostages depended on 'one guy' » the unnamed official said, a change of tone from previous White House statements that suggested Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, was delaying the process.
It happened like this. 18 world leaders, including Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden, signed a joint letter calling on Hamas to release captives it has held for more than 200 days.
The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, criticized Hamas officials for their involvement in negotiations, while policy is dictated only by Sinwar, the leader of the military wing of the terrorist group.
“Ultimately, Sinwar is the guy who says yes or no,” they said .
A woman wears a sticker indicating the number of days. Hamas is holding hostages. Photo: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Israeli media reported Thursday evening that Egypt, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, offered a new ceasefire proposal to the visiting Israeli delegation.
Egyptian officials have proposed that Israel agree to call off the Rafah offensive and promise a one-year ceasefire in exchange for the release of the hostages, Yediot Ahronot newspaper reported.
An Egyptian delegation is expected to travel to Israel on Friday to promote deal further.
Late Wednesday, Hamas released the first video evidence of the life of 24-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Paulin, who was captured in southern Israel on October 7. The dual Israeli-US citizen looked pale and upset.
< p>“Sinwar made the decision that he would rather hold him and others than secure a ceasefire in Gaza — that is the truth of the situation,” the US official said, adding that it appears Sinwar, one of the masterminds of the October 7 September massacre, “ appears determined to simply sit underground, holding hostages completely immune to ground conditions for Gazans.»
Hamas refuses allow the hostages to return to their families, officials say. Photo: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty
Asked about Israel's position, a US official noted that there were difficulties in the early stages of negotiations with Israel, but now he «fully» agreed» to the US proposal.
A joint appeal from countries whose citizens are either missing , or were kidnapped by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7, forced Hamas to accept the terms announced at the negotiations in Cairo.< /p>
A US official said the deal, which Hamas recently rejected, «satisfies almost all of [its] demands», including the return of displaced Palestinians — a previously contentious issue for Israel. But first, Hamas needs to release the women and children hostages, as well as the elderly and wounded being held captive.
“Hamas refuses to allow the hostages to return to their families. If they do this, the crisis will subside — this is a very clear path,” the official said.
A Hamas spokesman said he was not going to bow to international pressure over the hostages. Photo: JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images
Israel's War Cabinet met Thursday to begin negotiations for the release of the hostages, and two senior Israeli officials left for Cairo to discuss resuming negotiations.
A Hamas spokesman said the terrorist group will not succumb to international pressure. Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters that US pressure on Hamas «has no value» and added that the group will continue to press Israel to end the war before it releases the hostages.
Also on Thursday — Biden received Abigail. Mor Edan, a four-year-old girl who survived Hamas captivity after she was kidnapped and both her parents were killed.
Mr Biden was photographed standing in the Oval Office holding the girl in his arms.< /p >
“She is remarkable and recovering from unspeakable trauma,” the US president is quoted as saying.
Earlier, a senior Hamas official said the terrorist group may be willing to lay down its arms in exchange for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state.
Khalil al-Hayya, a Qatar-based Hamas politburo member, told the AP that the group would disband its military wing if Israel agreed to recognize a Palestinian state.
The moderate comments contrast with recent rhetoric from Hamas leaders in Gaza and the group's own charter, which calls for the liberation of Palestine «from the river to the sea.»
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