WASHINGTON – Families of American hostages held by Hamas have pressed the White House to seriously consider cutting a unilateral deal with the terrorist organization to secure the release of their loved ones, an option currently under discussion in the Biden administration, according to five people. people familiar with the discussions.
In a meeting Sunday with national security adviser Jake Sullivan after Hamas killed six hostages, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, relatives of the U.S. citizens still in captivity urged the administration to consider options that do not include Israel, the sources said. Administration officials told the families they would explore “all options,” but a deal with Hamas that includes Israel remains the best approach, people familiar with the discussions said.
Talks about a unilateral deal are coming as family members, with some administration officials increasingly believing that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not commit to an agreement with Hamas to implement a cease-fire in Gaza in exchange for the release of hostages. people familiar with the discussions.
Hamas is holding four American hostages the US believes are alive, and the regime is seeking to return the remains of three others who died.
NBC News reported in June that the Biden administration had discussed possibly negotiating a unilateral deal with Hamas to release American hostages in Gaza if cease-fire talks with Israel break down. The idea did not move forward, and some top administration officials strongly opposed it, and President Joe Biden decided to continue his efforts to reach a broader agreement that would include Israel and eventually outline a path to end the conflict.
But in a sign that the one-sided deal has been under internal scrutiny, the Biden administration compiled a list of prisoners in the United States that Hamas might be interested in releasing as part of a deal that would free the kidnapped Americans, according to two former and two current US officials familiar with the design. One of the officials said there are five people on the list.
The Biden administration even made initial contact with Hamas through Qatari officials about six months ago to explore the possibility of a unilateral deal amid stalled talks on Israel’s broader accord, U.S. officials said.
They added that this overture went nowhere.
One administration official said the idea of a unilateral deal with Hamas is unrealistic because the United States does not have enough to offer in exchange for American hostages.
“We have considered all possible options to free the hostages and bring them home to their families. Due to the demands of Hamas, no formal offer has been made for a side deal because such a deal is not possible,” the official said.
“Hamas wants two things that only Israel can provide: a ceasefire and nearly 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. All other proposals have gone nowhere because that’s what Hamas demands from the hostages,” the official added. “President Biden and the rest of the US administration remain fully committed to the return hostages, including Americans, to their families. We will continue to work day and night to finalize the ceasefire and hostage release agreement that is being discussed.”
A spokesman for the Qatari government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A representative for the families of the American hostages held by Hamas declined to comment.
White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Wednesday that Sullivan’s message to the families of American hostages recently “is that we will do everything we can to get their loved ones home where they belong.”
“We still believe that the best option, the best possible way to do that, is this deal that’s on the table now,” Kirby said, referring to talks between Israel, Hamas and the United States brokered by Qatar and the United States. have not managed to get a contract for months.
State Department spokesman Matt Miller did not directly answer a question about whether the Biden administration has seriously considered the idea of a unilateral deal with Hamas.
“We are focused on the agreement to bring all the hostages home. This, of course, includes the American hostages,” Miller said. When pressed again on the idea of a unilateral deal, Miller replied, “We’re working on a deal to get them all home.”
A US list of potential prisoners Hamas might be interested in freeing includes five executives of the Texas-based Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, who were convicted in 2008 of funneling more than $12 million to Hamas, which was named by Hamas. USA as a terrorist organization according to current and former US officials.
Two of the charity’s leaders, Shukri Abu Baker and Ghassan Elashi, are serving 65-year prison terms. Mohammad El-Mezain and Abdulrahman Odeh were sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Mufid Abdulqader was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Abdulqader is the brother of the former leader of Hamas.
In addition to the one-sided agreement, the Biden administration is also considering a “take it or leave it” deal with Israel and Hamas that could emerge as early as this week, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
In that scenario, if both sides rejected it, it could mean the end of the US-led talks, but the sources stressed that a decision on that approach has not yet been made.
On Monday, Biden told reporters he was “very close” to presenting a final framework to the negotiating parties and predicted a positive outcome was still possible.
“Hope is eternal,” Biden said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
