Biden’s hopes for Gaza ceasefire slip further out of reach as Hamas abruptly makes new demands
September 7, 2024 | Jake Smith
President Joe Biden’s hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza are slipping further out of grasp amid new demands from Hamas, The Washington Post reported.
The months-long drive to get a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas — and secure the release of American hostages in Gaza — has hit several obstacles, mostly related to terms that neither side has been able to agree to. With the prospects of a ceasefire deal already looking dim, Hamas’ new demands for terms in a possible deal has thrown the Biden administration’s plans off balance, and officials are starting to worry that a ceasefire may not even be doable, the Post reported.
The administration, which has put forward or endorsed several ceasefire proposals already, has recently been planning to make a new “take it or leave it” proposal that included provisions to help close the gap between Israel and Hamas’ demands for a deal, according to the Post. But the administration is indefinitely delaying presenting the proposal after Hamas recently announced it wanted a deal to include the release of more Palestinian prisoners higher than the number agreed to.
“Just because there isn’t an alternative doesn’t mean this strategy is working,” Ivo Daalder, a former ambassador to NATO, told the Post of the administration’s efforts to get a deal done. “The amount of talent we’ve deployed to get where we are, which is nowhere, is really remarkable, and at some point you need to decide it doesn’t work.”
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https://www.bizpacreview.com/2024/09/07/bidens-hopes-for-gaza-ceasefire-slip-further-out-of-reach-as-hamas-abruptly-makes-new-demands-1485730/
