(TheLastPatriotNews.com) – In a new attack on vital US ally Israel, President Joe Biden has blasted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not yielding to the demands of the Hamas terrorist group in order to release hostages the terrorists kidnapped on October 7.
Biden criticized Netanyahu’s “insufficient efforts” to negotiate a hostage release, increasing pressure on the Israeli leader to finalize a ceasefire after the discovery of six additional hostages killed in Gaza over the weekend.
When questioned by journalists at the White House regarding Netanyahu’s adequacy in securing a hostage release agreement, Biden succinctly responded, “No.”
Inquiring about the readiness of mediators to propose a definitive hostage agreement to both Israel and Hamas this week, Biden indicated, “We are very close to that,” and optimistically added, “Hope springs eternal.”
These comments were made as Biden arrived at the White House for a Situation Room briefing with advisors engaged in the discussions concerning ceasefire and hostage negotiations, The Hill reports.
During this meeting, Biden and Vice President Harris were briefed by the U.S. negotiation team about the current status of the hostage deal proposal, as stated by the White House.
They deliberated on forthcoming strategies to facilitate the release of hostages, “including continuing consultations with co-mediators Qatar and Egypt,” as per the White House’s account.
Furthermore, Biden conveyed his profound “devastation and outrage” regarding the murder of the hostages and emphasized “the importance of holding Hamas’s leaders accountable,” the White House reported.
Biden’s statements to the press occurred subsequent to the Israeli military’s confirmation on Sunday of the recovery of six hostages’ bodies in Gaza, identified among them Hersh Goldberg-Polin, originally from Berkeley, Calif.
The Israeli military disclosed that these individuals were murdered by Hamas shortly before Israeli forces could reach them in an underground tunnel in Rafah.
Autopsy results revealed that the hostages had been executed at close range, with their deaths occurring around Thursday or Friday, according to The Associated Press.
The discovery led to significant protests in Israel on Sunday, with thousands urging Netanyahu to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas to ensure the freedom of the remaining hostages.
In response, Israel’s largest trade union, the Histadrut, announced a general strike scheduled for Monday.
Approximately 250 individuals were taken hostage during a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in over 1,400 fatalities.
About 100 hostages were subsequently released during a ceasefire that lasted a week late last year.
Copyright 2024, TheLastPatriotNews.com
