Biden Administration has discussed potentially negotiating unilateral deal with Hamas to free U.S. hostages
Source: NBC News
June 10, 2024, 5:00 AM EDT
WASHINGTON Biden administration officials have discussed potentially negotiating a unilateral deal with Hamas to secure the release of five Americans being held hostage in Gaza if current cease-fire talks involving Israel fail, according to two current senior U.S. officials and two former senior U.S. officials.
Such negotiations would not include Israel and would be conducted through Qatari interlocutors, as current talks have been, said the officials, all of whom have been briefed on the discussions. White House officials declined to comment.
The Biden administration has said it believes Hamas is holding five American hostages who were abducted during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. U.S. officials are also hoping to recover the remains of three additional U.S. citizens who are believed to have been killed on that day by Hamas, which then took their bodies into Gaza.
The officials did not know what the U.S. might give Hamas in exchange for the release of American hostages. But, the officials said, Hamas could have an incentive to cut a unilateral deal with the U.S. because doing so would likely further strain relations between the U.S. and Israel and put additional domestic political pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/biden-administration-discussed-potentially-negotiating-unilateral-deal-rcna156266
cstanleytech
(26,761 posts)dutch777
(3,267 posts)I can understand politically the administration wants to show it is doing everything it REASONABLY can to secure US hostages, but probably a bridge too far to offer enough that Hamas will sign off. And like Israeli hostages, one has to wonder how many of any of the hostages are alive given all the IDF shelling and bombing of Hamas facilities and Hamas treatment of the hostages.
lark
(23,745 posts)One can hope.
marble falls
(59,974 posts)former9thward
(33,006 posts)MOMFUDSKI
(7,080 posts)He shouldve cut bibi out from day one
former9thward
(33,006 posts)What would the U.S. give the Hamas killers?
sarisataka
(20,084 posts)Hamas can release the hostages.
The US does not negotiate with terrorists. I know Reagan did, but I truly believe Biden is better than that.
JoseBalow
(4,271 posts)"Should we potentially negotiate a unilateral deal with Hamas?"
"Nah."