Hamas is said to be rejecting Israel’s demand to free 40 hostages as part of a potential ceasefire agreement, Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported. According to the report, Hamas is refusing to release any male soldiers and claims it does not have 40 living elderly or female hostages remaining. On the other hand, Israeli officials insist the Palestinian group does have 40 hostages who meet the required criteria. Meanwhile, a report by Haaretz said that some Israeli cabinet ministers would likely oppose any ceasefire deal that does not include the release of all hostages held by Hamas as they believe such an agreement would give a signal to Hamas that Israel is willing to make big concessions in talks.
Biden says Netanyahu making ‘mistake’ in Gaza
United States President Joe Biden said that he considers Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas a “mistake,” NBC News reported. “I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,” Biden said, referring to Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict, during an interview with Univision that aired late Tuesday. Reiterating his previous statement on the Israeli strike that killed seven aid workers in central Gaza, he called the incident “outrageous,” sharing that Israel should “just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country.” “There’s no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now,” Biden stressed, adding that he spoke with Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt who are “prepared to move this food in.”