Latest Round of Hostage Talks Stalls in Cairo

Facts

• Hamas officials on Wednesday said that negotiators would remain in Cairo, after talks failed to reach a breakthrough regarding a hostage deal. The group reportedly presented its own proposal to the mediators and is waiting for a response from Israel, which didn't send a delegation to the third day of talks.¹
• According to an Israeli official, Hamas proposed decreasing the number of Palestinian prisoners it was requesting in exchange for a cease-fire deal, if Israel allowed more Palestinian civilians to return to northern Gaza. However, the Israeli government is reportedly concerned that such a move could strengthen Hamas.²
• The Biden administration has escalated its criticism of Israel's handling of the conflict in recent weeks. On Monday, US Vice Pres. Kamala Harris pushed Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz, considered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's primary political rival, to accept a temporary cease-fire in Gaza.³
• This comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that at least 10 children at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza — which WHO officials visited for the first time since October over the weekend — have died from a 'lack of food.'⁴
• Meanwhile, the US and Jordan airdropped over 36K 'meal equivalents' to the besieged enclave on Tuesday. Previously, the two countries had airdropped humanitarian aid over the weekend, with US officials indicating that Washington was considering delivering aid by sea and pushing Israel to open more crossings.⁵

Sources: ¹Reuters, ²Axios, ³The New York Times, ⁴X and ⁵NPR Online News.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by NBC. Israel must be able to defend itself from terrorist attacks from Gaza or elsewhere, and the US is committed to preventing malicious actors from threatening Israel's legitimate concerns. However, the Biden administration is losing its patience with Netanyahu's intransigence. Last week's tragic incident is just another sign that this war needs to wind down, and all of the main actors involved must work toward a more permanent resolution. The humanitarian situation in Gaza, rapidly getting out of hand, must be remedied as soon as possible.
• Pro-Israel narrative, as provided by The Jerusalem Post. Israel will always be thankful for the US' steadfast support, but the Biden administration needs to refrain from tying Israel's hands behind its back. Hamas is simply not interested in negotiating in good faith and has consistently shown its preference for violence. In contrast, Israel has done everything it can to ensure the safety of civilians in a war it didn't want. Israel will pursue its goals, which continue to be vehemently supported by its citizens, regardless of whether it annoys Washington or anyone else.
• Pro-Palestine narrative, as provided by The Nation. As Israel's slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated, the Biden administration, increasingly anxious over the upcoming election, has resorted to cheap tactics to deny its support for Israel's brutal campaign. Regardless of how the administration tries to spin it, Biden has armed Israel, given it diplomatic cover, and refused to call for a permanent cease-fire — all of which incentivizes continued bloodshed. Indeed, Israel's war on Gaza would be unsustainable without US support, and Biden should enact concrete policy to stop the violence.

Predictions