Biden Says Netanyahu Is Not Taking Enough Action for Hostage Release Agreement

The President of the United States says he will soon present a final proposal for the release of hostages still held by Hamas, but emphasized that the Israeli Prime Minister is not taking sufficient actions to guarantee and implement the agreement. On Monday, September 12, during a press conference at the White House, in response to reporters' questions about the likelihood of presenting a new draft agreement to the parties in the coming days, Biden stated, "We are very close to presenting this plan," and when asked about the chances of success in the negotiations, he said, "Hope springs eternal." However, when asked whether the Israeli Prime Minister is taking the necessary actions to ensure the release of the hostages, he simply replied, "No!" Biden's new criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu comes as he and Kamala Harris, the Vice President and Democratic candidate in the U.S. presidential election, face increasing pressure to take decisive actions aimed at ending the 11-month war in Gaza. Recently, the Israeli army discovered the bodies of six hostages, including a 23-year-old Israeli-American named Hersh Goldberg-Polin, in a tunnel in the Rafah area and transferred them to Israel. The revelation of the deaths of six more Israeli hostages has, on one hand, subjected the Biden administration to widespread criticism for failing to achieve a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, especially amid the U.S. election campaign, and on the other hand, increased public pressure in Israel on Benjamin Netanyahu to bring the remaining hostages home. However, the Israeli Prime Minister stated on Monday during a televised press conference that international pressure regarding the Gaza agreement should focus on Hamas, not Israel. The extremist group Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union. He reiterated that Israeli forces must maintain control of the Philadelphi corridor and promised that he would not yield to pressures in the ceasefire negotiations. The Israeli Prime Minister emphasized that "the path to achieving the war's objectives passes through the Philadelphi corridor" as this ensures that hostages are not trafficked out of Gaza. On September 9, the Israeli security-political cabinet voted to continue the military presence in the Philadelphi corridor at the Gaza-Egypt border despite the opposition of the country's defense minister. The cabinet's limited vote to continue the deployment of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi corridor faced anger from some families of the 107 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas. These families stated in interviews with Israeli media that whenever a deal for the release of their relatives is on the table, Benjamin Netanyahu "deliberately disrupts" it. However, the Israeli Prime Minister emphasized during a televised press conference that he would not succumb to pressures and referred to the strategic Philadelphi corridor, stating that "Hamas will pay a very heavy price for this action." Haaretz reported last week that the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar, which are mediating negotiations for a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza war, are expected to present a new proposal regarding the Philadelphi corridor and the Netzarim corridor, where Israel insists on continuing its military presence, in the coming days. The continuation of the war in Gaza has caused a rift between the Democratic Party and its voters in the U.S., with the progressive wing of the party pressuring the Biden administration to limit military aid to Israel or at least condition military aid on adherence to international humanitarian standards. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are set to meet on Monday afternoon local time with a special task force negotiating for the release of hostages at the State Department to discuss the proposed agreement's terms to ensure the release of hostages still held by Hamas. Meanwhile, the military wing of the extremist group Hamas announced on Monday that if military pressures continue, the hostages will return to Israel "in coffins." Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, warned in a statement that "new instructions" have been given to the fighters guarding the hostages to act if Israeli forces approach the detention locations. He stated, "Netanyahu's insistence on freeing prisoners through military pressure instead of reaching an agreement means that the hostages will return to their families in coffins."