The Biden administration is trying to block Israel’s invasion of Gaza in hopes of continuing negotiations over the more than 200 hostages still being held by Hamas, a report said Sunday.
The development comes as Israel ramps up its bombing of Gaza ahead of a planned all-out invasion and fighting along the Israel-Lebanese border escalates – with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning on Sunday that if the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah “decides to enter the war … it will be the mistake of his life.”
President Biden and other US officials remain in hasty talks to delay the Gaza invasion of the Israel Defense Forces so more hostages can be freed before the Palestinian territories dissolve further into the war zone, sources briefed on the talks told CNN.
“The [administration] pressured the Israeli leadership to delay because of progress in the hostage line,” an official said after Friday’s release of the two US citizens.
Biden, asked on Saturday if he discussed plans to delay the Gaza invasion, told reporters, “I’m talking to Israel.”
America is now serving as the lead negotiator with Qatar to secure the release of 210 hostages, including 30 children, trapped in Gaza. Qatar, which delivers aid to the Palestinians, has previously worked with the US to free hostages in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Israel is moving its tanks to attack Gaza, with one unit stationed at the border on Sunday. HANNIBAL HANSCHKE/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock President Biden and US officials are reportedly working to halt the invasion in hopes of freeing more hostages taken by Hamas.AFP via Getty Images
After the release of American mother and daughter Judith and Natalie Raanan from Illinois, Hamas said it was ready to release two more hostages. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the claims as “false Hamas propaganda,” suggesting the terrorists simply wanted to delay an all-out attack on the Jewish state.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the president “hopes” more hostages will be released, although Hamas’s strategy remains unclear, as the terrorists have not demanded any retaliation, at least not yet.
“We don’t know why Hamas chose to release Natalie and Judith [Raanan] first. I use the word ‘first’ advisedly, because again, we hope more people follow,” he told NBC’s Meet the Press. “This is something we do almost all the time.”
A picture hangs on a refrigerator next to a bullet hole in a house in Kibbutz Kissufim in southern Israel.AP
Blinken added that 10 Americans are still missing and believed to be in Hamas custody, but their condition remains unknown.
“What we don’t know for sure is whether some of them are unknown dead and just haven’t been found or whether they are hostages,” he said.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed terrorist claims it would free more hostages as “false Hamas propaganda,” suggesting the terrorists simply wanted to delay the Jewish state’s all-out assault.
Hamas refuses to comment on “Israeli military prisoners” until Israel ends its “aggression.”
The statement came as overnight airstrikes in central Gaza’s Deir Al Balah killed at least 143 people, according to Palestinian officials.
America is now serving as the main negotiator with Qatar.REUTERS
Israeli authorities said among those killed in the recent bombing was Muhammad Katmash, Hamas’s deputy artillery commander who has overseen many attacks against Israel and helped plan the terrorist group’s brutal sneak attack on October 7, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Israel said earlier Sunday that it also bombed al-Ansar Mosque, used as the headquarters of a terrorist cell, in Jenin in Gaza, killing at least two people.
The Jewish state has vowed to only step up long-range artillery fire and airstrikes in Gaza as IDF tanks begin to line up along the border.
Judith Raanan and her daughter Natalie Raanan, both from Illinois, were released by Hamas on Friday. US Embassy in Jerusalem/AFP via Getty Images
“We have to enter the next phase of the war in the best conditions, not according to what anyone tells us,” IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters Saturday.
“Starting today, we are stepping up our attacks and minimizing the danger” to Israeli forces who will attack soon. We will increase the attack, starting today,” he pledged.
Israel also vowed to meet Hezbollah head-on when Lebanese terrorists attacked it with rockets and missiles.
“We will cripple it with unimaginable force, and the consequences and the Lebanese state will be devastating,” Netanyahu said Sunday of Hezbollah while visiting Israeli troops near Israel’s border with Lebanon.
Members of the Federation of Spanish Jewish Communities hold a picture of hostages as they demonstrate.AFP via Getty Images
Israeli military spokesman Jonathan Conricus said Sunday that Hezbollah had “constantly escalated the situation.
“The bottom line is … Hezbollah is playing a very, very dangerous game,” the spokesman told reporters. “[It is] it is very important for everyone in Lebanon to ask themselves about prices. Is the Lebanese state really willing to compromise what is left of Lebanon’s prosperity and Lebanese sovereignty for the sake of terrorists in Gaza?”
Hezbollah is an Iranian-backed Islamist movement that operates on the Israel-Lebanon border and has praised Hamas terror attacks and has repeatedly attacked Israel since then.
Blinken said Sunday that the US is also concerned about the potential for conflict to erupt between Israel and its Iranian proxies.
“We are taking steps to ensure we can defend our people effectively and respond decisively if necessary. This is not what we want, not what we are looking for. We don’t want an increase,” he said.
About 210 people are still being held by terrorists in Gaza. AP
Palestinians are being warned by a new leaflet from the IDF that they may be identified as sympathizing with “terrorist organizations” if they do not leave the area.
Although Biden stands firm with Israel, he tweeted Sunday that he and Netanyahu had also “discussed how Israel must operate according to the laws of war.
“This means protecting civilians in combat as best as possible. We cannot ignore the humanity of innocent Palestinians who just want to live in peace,” Biden wrote.
“We cannot give up on the two-state solution.”
Rising tensions between Israel and the Palestinians and an impending invasion cast a shadow over the prospect of freeing more hostages, although experts say diplomacy will be the best course of action to secure the safety of those kidnapped by Hamas.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the president was “hopeful” more hostages would be released, although Hamas’ strategy remained unclear.REUTERS
Christopher O’Leary, a former senior FBI official who led many hostage recovery teams, told The Post that while Israel should have a plan for a military rescue operation, negotiations through Qatar are necessary.
“Israel should negotiate the release of the hostages as a priority while trying to gather more intelligence,” he said.
He also warned that the Jewish state’s repeated airstrikes could lay the groundwork for a more difficult attack on Gaza.
The Israeli army plans to attack Gaza after the Hamas terrorist group has killed more than 1,400 people in Israel. Reuters
“Airstrikes could cause more structures to be destroyed, which would make it difficult to operate in Gaza and track hostages,” he said. “There is also the possibility that hostages could be injured or killed as a result.”
Along with the US, other countries have called on Israel to avoid immediate aggression, as nearly 40 countries have citizens kidnapped by Hamas.
UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly “called for discipline and professionalism and restraint from the Israeli army,” according to the BBC – saying that an extension of the conflict “is exactly what Hamas wants.”
The international implications are growing.
The Israeli army said Sunday that it was mistaken about the position of the Egyptian border near the Gaza border. Egypt’s military said one of its border guard towers was hit and one person suffered minor injuries.
“The incident is being investigated and the details are being studied,” Israel wrote on X. “The IDF regrets the incident.”
Meanwhile, up to six Chinese warships have been operating in the Middle East since last week, China’s defense ministry website said, according to the South China Morning Post last week.
-With Post Wire Service
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
