Away from Israel US discusses "unilateral" deal with Hamas
US President Joe Biden's administration officials have discussed "negotiating a unilateral deal with Hamas" to secure the release of five Americans held hostage in Gaza if the current ceasefire talks involving Israel fail.
ABC News quoted current and former U.S. officials as saying that the negotiations will not include Israel and will be conducted through Qatari interlocutors.
Officials refused White House Comment.
The Biden administration has said it believes that Hamas Holds 5 American hostages taken during the October 7 attack.
U.S. officials also hope to recover the remains of three additional U.S. citizens believed to have been killed that day by Hamas, which then transferred their bodies to Gaza.
The officials did not know what the U.S. might offer Hamas in exchange for the release of the American hostages, but the officials said the group might have an incentive to strike a unilateral deal with United States"Doing so is likely to further strain relations between the United States and Israel, and put additional domestic political pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
One former official said that internal discussions also took place in the context of whether the possibility of a United States for a unilateral agreement with Hamas, may pressure Netanyahu to approve a version of the current ceasefire proposal.
Netanyahu is already under increasing pressure from the families of Hostagesto reach an agreement that would free their loved ones.
Earlier this week, Israeli officials estimated that about 120 hostages were still being held by Hamas, and that 43 of them had died in captivity.
The five Americans believed to be held in Gaza They are Aidan Alexander, Sajoy Dekel Chen, Hirsch Goldberg Bohlen, Omar Neutra, and Keith Siegel.
Sky News
