US President Joe Biden, while speaking to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their Tuesday phone call, reportedly told the latter that the time was right for a hostage deal.
“We have an opportunity now – let’s get the hostages out,” Biden reportedly said.
Biden’s conversation with Netanyahu took place shortly after Israel’s security cabinet approved the Lebanon ceasefire agreement, two senior American officials confirmed on Thursday.
The discussion, which lasted several minutes, focused solely on Gaza’s hostage situation following the ceasefire in Lebanon. Netanyahu reportedly expressed willingness to pursue such an effort.
Israeli and American officials believe the Lebanon ceasefire agreement improves prospects for a phased hostage release deal in Gaza. A senior Israeli cabinet member remarked that Netanyahu supports a partial deal that would not necessitate halting the war or fully withdrawing troops.
However, Hamas has refused such conditions.
“There’s an intention to renew efforts for a deal. Resolving the Lebanon conflict was essential first,” the senior cabinet member said. The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment.
Talks on releasing hostages have stalled for three months. During his recent Washington visit, President Isaac Herzog urged Biden to engage with President-elect Donald Trump on advancing a deal. In a phone call after Trump’s election victory, Herzog stressed the urgency, revealing that half of the hostages were believed to be alive—contrary to Trump’s assumption.
Biden later discussed the matter with Trump in the Oval Office, proposing collaboration.
A return to diplomatic efforts?
After Qatar suspended mediation, senior Hamas officials, including Khalil al-Hayya, reportedly relocated from Doha to Turkey.
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar recently visited Turkey, holding talks with Turkish intelligence head İbrahim Kalın about the hostage situation. Since then, Turkey has played a more active role. In his Tuesday speech, Biden mentioned Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar as key actors in advancing negotiations.
Meanwhile, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday.
Discussions included efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire and a hostage deal. Hamas issued a statement following the Lebanon ceasefire agreement, expressing conditional willingness to cooperate on a Gaza truce but demanded the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Hamas continues to hold 101 hostages in Gaza, including seven American citizens.
Israeli intelligence estimates that approximately 50 hostages remain alive. Senior American officials have stressed that US President Joe Biden is committed to securing a hostage release agreement before leaving office, even if the credit goes to President-elect Donald Trump.
A senior White House official said, “Biden thinks it would be madness to tell the hostages’ families to wait two more months for the next administration.”
