The leaders of the U.S., Egypt and Qatar called for Israel and Hamas to resume cease-fire talks next week in either Doha or Cairo, and early Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that Israel would take part in those discussions.
In a joint statement, President Biden, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Qatar's Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani urged both parties "to resume urgent discussion" on Aug. 15 "to close all remaining gaps and commence implementation of the deal without further delay."
"It is time to bring immediate relief both to the long-suffering people of Gaza as well as the long-suffering hostages and their families," the statement said, urging Israel and Hamas to refrain from further delays. "The time has come to conclude the ceasefire and hostages and detainees release deal."
where it's coming from."
"Seems detached from reality but maybe they know something that we don't," he said.
On whether the White House's comment could be an attempt at applying public pressure on Netanyahu to agree to a deal, Baskin said, "could be, behind the scenes the Americans are pushing hard," but added, "I don't think Netanyahu cares. He is against Biden.”
US-Israeli relations have deteriorated this year due to the ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza. Nearly 40,000 people have been killed in the enclave since October 7, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu visited a military base to recruit soldiers and reaffirmed his support for the military operation.
"We are marching towards victory," he told the recruits. "We are preparing for both defense and offense, and we are also determined to defeat the enemy and defend ourselves."
A few days earlier, Netanyahu said Israel was already in a "war on multiple fronts."
Baskin said, "Unless Prime Minister Netanyahu changes course, or of course unless Sinwar is found and killed, it's not going to get very far."
Israel considers Sinwar Public Enemy Number One. He is said to be in his early 60s and has a long history of fighting with Israel. In the late 1980s, he became known as the "Butcher of Khan Younis" for killing a dozen people who were believed to have collaborated with Israel. He received four life sentences and organized strikes in prison to demand better living conditions. Netanyahu released him in 2011 as part of a prisoner swap for Israeli hostages. Sinwar subsequently rose through Hamas' ranks, becoming emir of the Gaza Strip in 2017. After he became head of Hamas' political wing after Haniyeh's death, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly pressured him, saying he was authorized to negotiate a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
