President Joe Biden disclosed details of secret negotiations over Israeli hostages during an interview with Seth Myers, potentially compromising a key U.S. ally’s bargaining positions.
Despite Biden’s optimism for a ceasefire by the following Monday, both Israel and Hamas denied any agreement.
Reports emerged of Hamas rejecting proposed terms for a deal, dampening hopes for an imminent agreement.
Israeli government officials dismissed Hamas’s demands as unrealistic, emphasizing that no deal was close.
“Hamas started out with just crazy demands. And, you know, it’s- it’s too soon to say if they’re- if they’ve abandoned them, but if they do abandon them and get into what you call the ballpark, they’re not even in the city. They’re in another planet,” Israeli government spokesperson Tal Heinrich said.
“No daylight between Washington and Jerusalem [exists] as it pertains to the goals of this war,” Heinrich said, noting that Hamas’s demands were “delusional” and that they “have to come down to earth.”
The disclosure raised concerns about Biden’s motivations, with critics suggesting he might be seeking to appease Arab and Muslim voters in Michigan ahead of the primary vote.
