The United States is working to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, with Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer appearing on Sunday news shows to discuss the situation. Finer noted that a deal between Israel and Hamas is close, but that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. The White House is committed to doing everything it can to bring hostages home safely, and is working directly and intensively behind the scenes to achieve this goal.
Posts tagged as “Arab Israeli”
On Wednesday, Israel's military raided the Al-Shifa Hospital complex in Gaza, evacuating the facility and searching for Hamas fighters and evidence of an underground command center. U.S. officials have stated they have evidence of a Hamas command center, while Hamas and hospital staff deny this. Human rights groups have called on Israel to respect international law and protect civilians and medical facilities, and the United Nations has called for an independent investigation.
Approximately 150 people attended the protest to demand a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, symbolizing the more than 11,000 people who have died in the conflict. President Biden is delivering different messages to pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel Americans, emphasizing his support for Israel against terrorism and his work to protect civilians in Gaza.
A funeral was held in Israel on Friday for Noa Marciano, a 19-year-old Israeli soldier taken hostage by Hamas in October. The IDF located her body near the Al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza this week, and the U.S. has evidence that Hamas has been using the hospital complex to hide weapons. The IDF has released a statement saying their national task is to locate the missing and return them home.
President Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan short-term spending bill, preventing a potential government shutdown and giving lawmakers more time to sort out their differences over the federal budget. The bill was signed at the Legion of Honor Museum in San Francisco while attending the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, and passed the House and Senate by wide bipartisan margins. President Biden has urged Congress to pass a long-term spending bill that would provide more certainty for the federal budget, but it remains to be seen if lawmakers can reach a compromise in the new year.
Senators Cory Booker and Dan Goldman have written to President Joe Biden urging him to press Israel to crack down on violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank. The letter highlights the threat this violence poses to efforts to prevent the expansion of the conflict, Israel's security, Palestinian human rights, and long-term regional peace. It also calls for the Biden administration to work with the Palestinian Authority to ensure it has the resources and support it needs to protect its citizens.
U.S. officials are expressing frustration with the Israeli government's approach to the conflict in Gaza, and are pushing for a proposal that would involve the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a cease-fire. The Biden administration is concerned that Israel is not doing enough to reduce civilian casualties, and hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed by the rising death toll. The success of the proposed hostage release and cease-fire remains to be seen.
On Wednesday night, a chaotic pro-Palestinian rally outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington D.C. resulted in six officers being injured and one arrest. The U.S. Capitol Police restricted entry and exit to nearby House office buildings, and officers remained on the scene out of an abundance of caution after the protesters had cleared out. The rally was organized by progressive groups IfNotNow, Jewish Voice for Peace Action and the Democratic Socialists of America, and was calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war.