US President Joe Biden has stated that he is nearing the presentation of a final proposal for a deal to release hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. However, he expressed doubt that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing enough to facilitate such an agreement.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Biden addressed the recent recovery of the bodies of six hostages by Israeli forces over the weekend. Among the deceased was Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a 23-year-old American-Israeli. The hostages were found in a tunnel in Gaza, where they had been killed by Hamas fighters.
The recovery of the hostages has intensified criticism of the Biden administration’s ceasefire strategy and increased pressure on Netanyahu from Israelis to secure the release of the remaining captives.
When asked if Netanyahu was adequately working to secure a hostage deal, Biden simply responded “No,” without further explanation.
Regarding the final hostage deal, Biden indicated that a proposal is nearly ready, saying, “We’re very close to that,” and added, “Hope springs eternal” when asked about the prospects of a successful agreement.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were scheduled to meet with the US negotiating team involved in the hostage deal discussions.