The Biden administration is set to present a final “take it or leave it” cease-fire and hostage-release proposal to Israel and Hamas in the coming weeks, following the discovery of six dead hostages by Israeli forces. This move, which has been months in the making, involves close collaboration with Egypt and Qatar and may mark the last chance for an American-brokered resolution, according to the Washington Post.
A senior administration official highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying, “You can’t keep negotiating this.This process has to be called at some point.” The official added that the United States, Egypt, and Qatar had been refining the final proposal before the hostages were found dead in a tunnel beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Despite the tragic discovery, the official insisted that the incident “should add additional urgency in this closing phase, which we were already in.” The deal’s potential acceptance or rejection by the involved parties could bring an end to US-led negotiations, reported the Washington Post.
The Israel Defense Forces reported that the six hostages were killed by their captors “shortly before” their bodies were discovered, a claim shared by US officials who assessed that all six were executed just before being found.
The Biden administration, having spent months attempting to broker an agreement that would see the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary cease-fire, now faces a critical juncture. The administration official noted that Hamas’s decision to execute the hostages during ongoing negotiations “calls into question” the group’s seriousness in pursuing a deal.
A senior administration official highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying, “You can’t keep negotiating this.This process has to be called at some point.” The official added that the United States, Egypt, and Qatar had been refining the final proposal before the hostages were found dead in a tunnel beneath the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Despite the tragic discovery, the official insisted that the incident “should add additional urgency in this closing phase, which we were already in.” The deal’s potential acceptance or rejection by the involved parties could bring an end to US-led negotiations, reported the Washington Post.
The Israel Defense Forces reported that the six hostages were killed by their captors “shortly before” their bodies were discovered, a claim shared by US officials who assessed that all six were executed just before being found.
The Biden administration, having spent months attempting to broker an agreement that would see the release of the remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a temporary cease-fire, now faces a critical juncture. The administration official noted that Hamas’s decision to execute the hostages during ongoing negotiations “calls into question” the group’s seriousness in pursuing a deal.
Source : Times of India
