‘No ceasefire deal in the making’: Netanyahu

The Cradle, September 6, 2024 — 

White House officials claimed this week that a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas is ’90 percent’ complete

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that a Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas is not imminent, contradicting statements from the White House claiming the opposite, CNN reported on 6 September.

“There’s not a deal in the making,” Netanyahu told Fox News. “Unfortunately, it’s not close.”

On Sunday, US President Joe Biden said that the parties were on the verge of a deal. On Wednesday, a senior administration official claimed 90 percent of the agreement had been completed.

“It’s exactly inaccurate. There’s a story, a narrative out there, that there’s a deal out there,” the Israeli premier said in response to the US claim.

Asked about Netanyahu’s comments, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “I’m just not going to get into a public back and forth through all of you in the press with Prime Minister Netanyahu.”

“I will just say that this process has, at times, been cumbersome. We have faced setbacks and setbacks and more setbacks, and without question, we here in the administration are frustrated that we still haven’t been able to conclude this deal,” he said.

CNN noted, “US officials have been reticent to directly criticize Netanyahu – even as he has repeatedly broken with the administration’s position and cast doubt on his adherence to a potential deal.”

With no deal between Israel and Hamas in site, the families of soldiers who are dual Israeli-US citizens being held by Hamas have pressed the White House to seriously consider cutting a unilateral deal with the Palestinian resistance movement to win their release. The option is currently under discussion among White House officials, according to five people familiar with the discussions speaking with NBC News.

There are four remaining US citizens being held by Hamas that the US believes are alive, and three others believed to be dead.

The White House has begun compiling a list of prisoners in the US whose release could be of interest to Hamas as part of securing a deal to free US-Israeli captives, according to four current and former officials. One official said there were five people on the list.

Sources speaking to Asharq newspaper stated that Netanyahu had prevented a direct deal between Hamas and the US regarding the captives.

As the US presidential elections near, both candidates have argued over who supports Israel and the Jewish lobby in the US more strongly.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump told the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual conference on 5 September that Israel will cease to exist if Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris wins the 2024 election.

“If Kamala Harris wins, terrorist armies will wage an unceasing war to drive Jews out of the Holy Land. I can say honestly that we got 25 percent of the vote, 26 percent after four years after I’ve done more for Israel than anyone. This year we will probably be around a 50% mark,” Trump said.

“I have to ask: who are these 50 percent? These are people who hate Israel and don’t like the Jewish people … I think you have to explain that to your people because they don’t know. They have no idea what they’re getting into if she becomes president. Israel will no longer exist.”

Earlier this week, Harris reiterated her support for Israel while repeating Israel’s false claims about 7 October.

“From its massacre of 1,200 people to sexual violence, taking of hostages, and these murders, Hamas’ depravity is evident and horrifying,” Harris said.

“The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel – and American citizens in Israel – must be eliminated, and Hamas cannot control Gaza.”

In her only interview since becoming the Democratic nominee, Harris reiterated her support for Israel and refused to say that aid to Tel Aviv should be conditioned despite Israel’s ongoing killing of women and children in Gaza on a mass scale.  

Halie Soifer, chief executive of the Jewish Democratic Council of America, noted that as a senator, Harris regularly voted for military aid to Israel and supported the additional aid for Israel passed in a national security package that included support for Ukraine and Taiwan.