Gaza war
Netanyahu hints at hostage deal
Stresses the need for military pressure: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. photo
© Abir Sultan/Pool European Pressphoto Agency/AP/dpa
US President Biden is actively campaigning for the release of the Hamas hostages. Now Netanyahu is cautious about the negotiations.
If this succeeds, it would be solely the result of military pressure, emphasized Netanyahu. “That’s the only thing that could lead to an agreement.” It was only with the Israeli military’s ground offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip that there was movement in the negotiations. “We will talk about it when the time comes and announce it when it comes to fruition.”
NBC and other US media reported, citing government sources, that it was being discussed that Hamas could release around 80 women and children in return for Palestinian women and teenagers held in custody in Israel. There was no official confirmation of this. Netanyahu also did not go into any details of a potential deal.
Biden supports deal
US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told ABC broadcaster that negotiations were underway in which Qatar was involved and the US government was actively involved. “Attempts are being made to reach an agreement that includes the release of hostages,” Sullivan said. Biden will not rest until such an agreement is reached.
But Sullivan emphasized: “I have to be careful about what I say publicly about this because it is of course a delicate and sensitive negotiation.” The US government does not have an exact number of hostages. There are only a number of missing people. But it is unclear how many of them are still alive. From the US side, nine people with American citizenship and one person with a permanent US residence permit are missing.
More than 200 people were forcibly abducted in the devastating attack by Hamas and other groups on Israel at the beginning of October. Only a few have been released so far. According to Israel, Hamas is still holding 239 people hostage, including women, children and the elderly.