Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently contradicted White House claims regarding progress in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu stated that there is “not a deal in the making” and that no truce agreement is close to being reached. His comments challenge previous White House statements claiming efforts were being made to reach a peace deal and hostage swap.
For weeks, the Biden administration has been attempting to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with White House officials using various metaphors such as “at the goal line” to describe their progress. However, recent developments have seen President Biden place blame on both parties involved in the conflict – accusing Hamas of rejecting the proposed deal, while also criticizing Netanyahu for not doing enough to achieve peace.
Netanyahu’s latest interview confirms suspicions that there is no viable ceasefire deal currently in place, and perhaps never was one on the table at all. The prime minister dismissed reports from CNN and other sources claiming a deal was 90% completed as “inaccurate.” He went on to place blame for the lack of progress on Hamas, stating that they “don’t agree to anything” and have rejected key aspects of proposed deals, such as the Philadelphi Corridor and exchanging hostages for jailed terrorists.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to increasing tension between the United States and Israel, with mass protests demanding Netanyahu’s removal from office and hostage victims’ families accusing him of thwarting truce deals at every turn in favor of prioritizing military operations against Gaza militants. As a result, it seems increasingly likely that the Gaza war will continue for months or even years to come, with no immediate ceasefire on the horizon.
