MY KOLKATA EDUGRAPH
ADVERTISEMENT
regular-article-logo Friday, 22 November 2024

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not doing enough for secure release of hostages: Biden

Biden was speaking to reporters at the White House after Israeli forces over the weekend recovered the bodies of six hostages, including 23-year-old American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, from a tunnel in Gaza

Reuters Washington Published 03.09.24, 11:10 AM
Joe Biden

Joe Biden File image

President Joe Biden said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not doing enough to secure a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas and the US was close to presenting a final proposal to negotiators working on a hostage and ceasefire agreement.

Biden was speaking to reporters at the White House after Israeli forces over the weekend recovered the bodies of six hostages, including 23-year-old American Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, from a tunnel in Gaza. Israel’s military said they were recently killed by Palestinian Hamas militants.

ADVERTISEMENT

That has sparked criticism of the Biden administration’s Gaza ceasefire strategy and ratcheted up pressure on Netanyahu from Israelis to bring the remaining hostages home.

Asked whether he thought Netanyahu was doing enough to reach a hostage deal, Biden said “No.” He did not elaborate on his remarks, which drew a sharp response from senior Israeli sources.

Asked if he was planning to present a final hostage deal to both sides this week, Biden said: “We’re very close to that.”

“Hope springs eternal,” he added when asked whether a deal would be successful.

Follow us on:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT