As reported Israel’s new ceasefire proposal Renewing hopes of freeing hostages still held by Hamas, the niece of a U.S.-Israeli prisoner said that while she believes a deal can be reached, her family fears that finalizing a peace deal does not serve Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political agenda.
President Biden spoke with Netanyahu on Sunday, the White House confirmed to CBS News.
“I think a deal can be made. I mean, we know that. A deal was made in November…so we know it’s possible,” Hanna Siegel said Sunday on “Face the Nation.” . She told moderator Margaret Brennan that the United States “plays a crucial role” in the negotiation process, as it did during the initial ceasefire, but acknowledged that “ultimately , this is a negotiation between Hamas and Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel.”
“And one of the things that really worries my family, and worries me, is that it’s probably not in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s political interest to make a deal,” Siegel said.
His uncle, Keith Siegel, was among those taken hostage by Hamas when the group’s militant wing attacked southern Israel on October 7. Israeli authorities said 250 people were captured and then hidden in the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu declared war on Hamas, pausing only for a week-long temporary ceasefire negotiated in November, during which more than 100 hostages – mostly women and children – were released alongside About 240 Palestinians previously detained in Israeli prisons.
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Netanyahu said freeing the remaining hostages was one of his three main goals in Gaza. He reiterated these points on “Facing the Nation” in February, the other two being to “destroy Hamas” and “ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future.”
“Unless we have total victory, we cannot have peace,” Netanyahu said at the time. As the war drags on, some family members of the hostages have accused Israeli leaders, including the prime minister and his far-right cabinet, of walking away from a deal that could save them. for political reasons.
“There is a lot of upheaval in the political landscape in Israel,” Siegel said Sunday. “We’re 205 days in. Deals have been on the table. And they’ve proven elusive. And I fear it’s because of Prime Minister Netanyahu.
“So I think now is the time. I’m confident we can make a deal now. But I also think if that’s not possible, then the Biden administration should think about what they can do directly to bring our United States citizens home.
Keith Siegel’s wife, Aviva Siegel, was one of the hostages released by Hamas during this ceasefire. He had not been heard from for months, his family said, until he appeared in undated video footage posted Saturday by Hamas on the group’s social media channel, often used to post propaganda. Siegel was seen in the video with another hostage, identified as Omri Miran by the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, several days after similar footage of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, another Israeli-American held hostage. Siegel, 64, holds American and Israeli citizenship.
As of April 24, five people, U.S. citizens, were missing and believed to be detained alive in Gaza, a U.S. official confirmed to CBS News. The remains of three other American citizens are believed to be in the possession of Hamas. A U.S. official told CBS News that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was reviewing the latest proof-of-life video after it was released on Saturday.
Hanna Siegel told Brennan on Sunday that the timing of the release of the propaganda videos could potentially be a sign that Hamas is willing to make a deal with Israel.
“You know, for us, it’s time,” she said. “I think these two videos are a signal from Hamas that they are ready to make a deal and a reminder that American citizens are being detained, including Keith.”
Despite growing calls from civilians to prioritize the safe return of remaining hostages and Mr Biden’s pledges that his administration “won’t rest” until that happens, attempts to achieve another ceasefire agreement has failed since Israel ended the temporary truce. autumn. Hamas demanded a prolonged pause in fighting and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza in exchange for the release of around 100 people believed to be still alive in captivity, as well as the remains of around 30 others. Israel has repeatedly rejected Hamas’ demands and declared that he would continue the offensive with the aim of destroying the group.
But a senior Hamas official, Khalil al-Hayva, said Saturday that he was evaluating a new ceasefire proposal from Israel and that “once his study is completed, he will submit a response “, reported the Associated Press. The official did not give details of the proposal but said it was in response to a Hamas proposal two weeks ago, according to the AP.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting the region on Sunday to discuss a possible ceasefire and hostage deal. Although Hanna Siegel said she “is confident that we can make a deal now,” she also called on the Biden administration “to think about what we can do directly to bring our American citizens home” if the negotiations fail again.
“What I do know is that the Biden administration has demonstrated an unwavering and unrelenting commitment to my family and those of all the hostages,” she said. “And I know that their priority is to bring all the hostages, including the Americans, home. And so I know that they are doing absolutely everything they can.”
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