Biden reacts to Hamas' killing of Israeli hostages
Joe Biden, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden, following the killing of hostages by Hamas militants who were captured in Israel, emphasized the importance of holding the leaders of the terrorist organization accountable, according to the White House and Reuters.
On September 2, US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris met with the US team handling negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas.
In a statement from the White House, Biden expressed his dismay and outrage over the killings and affirmed the importance of holding Hamas leaders accountable.
Biden and Harris also received updated information from the US negotiating team about the status of the transitional proposal put forth by the US, Qatar, and Egypt.
“hey discussed next steps in the ongoing effort to secure the release of hostages, including continuing consultations with co-mediators Qatar and Egypt,” the White House statement read.
According to Reuters, Biden also spoke to reporters at the White House after Israeli forces discovered the bodies of six hostages, previously taken by Hamas militants, in a tunnel in the Gaza Strip over the weekend.
When asked by journalists whether he believed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was doing enough to achieve a hostage release agreement, Biden responded with a simple no. However, he did not elaborate on his comments.
Later, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said at a press conference in Jerusalem that pressure should be directed at Hamas, not Israel, especially following the deaths of the hostages.
“And now after this we're asked to show seriousness? We're asked to make concessions? What message does this send Hamas? It says, kill more hostages,” Netanyahu said.
He also questioned whether Biden or other leaders committed to achieving peace genuinely believed that Israel should make further concessions, suggesting instead that Hamas should be the one to make concessions.
Killing of hostages by Hamas militants
In July, the terrorist organization Hamas agreed to the US proposal to begin negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages. However, the parties have yet to reach a final peace agreement, and talks are ongoing.
A few days ago, Israeli military forces discovered the bodies of six hostages in tunnels beneath the city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Hamas had taken these individuals captive in October 2023. According to investigations, the terrorists killed the hostages shortly before Israeli forces reached them.
By the evening of September 1, protests erupted in many cities across Israel, with demonstrators calling on the government to negotiate a ceasefire with Hamas and to bring all Israeli hostages home.
