Lagatar24 Desk
Washington: US President Joe Biden has expressed dissatisfaction with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Speaking at the White House on Monday, Biden stated that he is nearing the presentation of a final proposal for a deal to free the captives but does not believe Netanyahu is doing enough to achieve such an agreement.
This statement comes in the wake of Israeli forces recovering the bodies of six hostages over the weekend, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old American-Israeli, from a tunnel in Gaza. The Israeli government claims these individuals were recently killed by Palestinian Hamas militants, an event that has intensified criticism of the Biden administration’s ceasefire strategy in Gaza and increased pressure on Netanyahu to ensure the safe return of the remaining hostages.
When asked if he thought Netanyahu was making sufficient efforts to finalize a hostage deal, Biden simply responded, “No,” without providing further details. However, he did indicate that a potential agreement might soon be presented to both parties, stating, “We’re very close to that.” Biden also expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of a successful deal, remarking, “Hope springs eternal.”
In efforts to advance negotiations, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were scheduled to meet with the US negotiating team on Monday to discuss strategies for securing the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas.
