The families of American hostages being held by Hamas have urged the White House to consider cutting a unilateral deal with the terrorist organization to secure their loved ones’ release. The option is currently being discussed within the Biden administration, and officials have assured the families that they will explore all possibilities. Despite some officials believing that seeking an agreement with Israel is the best course of action, family members and others are increasingly skeptical that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will commit to such an agreement. There are four Americans believed to be alive in captivity, while the remains of three others are thought to be deceased.
The Biden administration had previously discussed a potential unilateral deal with Hamas to secure the release of American hostages in Gaza if negotiations with Israel were unsuccessful, but the idea did not advance as some top officials opposed it. Despite this, the administration reportedly created a list of U.S. prisoners whose release Hamas might want in exchange for the kidnapped Americans. Initial outreach to explore the possibility of a unilateral deal was made to Hamas through Qatari officials around six months ago, but it did not lead to any progress. An administration official stated that the U.S. does not have enough to offer Hamas in exchange for the American hostages due to the organization’s specific demands.
White House National Security Communications adviser John Kirby stated that efforts would continue to bring the hostages home through negotiations involving Israel, Hamas, and the U.S., mediated by Qatar. While the idea of a unilateral deal with Hamas has been considered and, at times, explored internally, some officials have expressed skepticism about its feasibility due to Hamas’ demands that only Israel can fulfill. The administration’s focus remains on securing an agreement that would lead to the release of all hostages, including Americans, despite the challenges and complexities involved in negotiating with terrorist organizations.
A list of possible prisoners that Hamas might be interested in seeing released includes leaders of the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a Texas-based charity convicted in 2008 of providing funds to Hamas. Apart from considering a unilateral deal, the Biden administration is also weighing the option of presenting Israel and Hamas with a “take it or leave it” deal that could potentially be offered as early as the following week. Biden expressed hope that a positive outcome was still possible and indicated that progress was being made in finalizing a framework for the negotiating parties. However, no decision had been made yet on whether to adopt this approach, which could potentially mark the end of U.S.-led negotiations if both sides reject the deal.
