A Palestinian terrorist group known as Hamas offered to release one American hostage and four dead American hostages on Friday, and about 55 Israeli hostages in response to American proposals.
This offer came after our envoy, Steve Witkoff, proposed a half of all remaining hostages released at the start of the ceasefire period, as well as a second-phase hostage contract, which was released at the end of that period.
Israel quickly accepted the deal. Hamas didn't do it. The US would then begin to negotiate directly with Hamas, not through Egypt or Qatar, raising concerns in Israel, and Hamas would try to reach another deal with the US.
Hamas seems to be trying to do just that. As Breitbart News reported on Friday:
Hamas terrorist organisations said Friday it would release the U.S. Israeli dual citizen, considered to be the last living American to be held in Gaza. The bodies of four dual states who died from brutal prisoners are also handed over.
The decision came after a proposal from a mediator to resume negotiations in the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, Reuters Report.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office raised doubts on the offer, accusing Hamas of trying to manipulate ongoing consultations in Qatar at the next stage of the Israeli Hamas ceasefire.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded angrily in a statement released by the government's press (and translated from Hebrew):
Israel has accepted Witkov's framework, but Hamas continues to reject it, continuing a psychological war against hostage families.
The Prime Minister will convened the ministerial team for a detailed briefing from the negotiating team tomorrow evening, to decide on measures to free hostages and achieve all war goals.
Witkov also criticized Hamas' offer, According to The era of Israel:
“Hamas has a very bad bet that the time is on its side. It's not. Hamas should know the deadline well and know that if that deadline passes, they will respond accordingly,” the top aide warns.
Witkoff makes the revelation of President Donald Trump's recent final ultimate over Hamas with a rare statement that begins with reminding him of “or paying a tough price” to immediately release all hostages.
Witkov said on Wednesday that he and White House National Security Council's Mideast Eric Tragar had arrived in Doha and presented a “bridge proposal” to extend the current Gaza ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover, which ends on April 19th.
The second phase of the ceasefire was supposed to come into effect on March 2, but an agreement has not been reached. Witkov's “bridge” proposal reportedly saw five living hostages released towards a full Phase 2 contract that included the release of all remaining hostages and the final conclusion of the war in Gaza.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News; Breitbart News Sunday Sirius XM Patriot will be available Sundays from 7pm to 10pm (4pm to 7pm). He is the author of Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Daysyou can pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author Trump's Virtue: Lessons and Legacy of President Donald TrumpIt is now available on Audible. He is the winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpollak.
