Hamas has rejected hostage talks that were set for this week, hours after CNN published a poorly-sourced article claiming that the terrorist group was serious about a deal but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not.
Axios.com reported (original emphasis):
Hamas announced on Sunday that it rejects the invitation by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt for a final round of negotiations over the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal planned for Thursday.
Why it matters: Hamas’ announcement is a significant setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal and prevent the Gaza conflict from escalating into a regional war.
Earlier, CNN had reported, citing unnamed sources:
Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar wants a ceasefire deal — at least, that’s the message Egyptian and Qatari mediators have conveyed to Israeli officials in recent days ahead of a critical summit later this week, an Israeli source familiar with the matter said.
Whether the Israeli prime minister wants one remains shrouded in uncertainty.
…
Netanyahu’s allies have told journalists and other government officials that the Israeli prime minister is ready to make a deal, regardless of the impact on his governing coalition, two Israeli sources said. But the Israeli security establishment remains considerably more skeptical of Netanyahu’s willingness to strike a deal given fierce opposition from far-right ministers in his coalition.
The “far-right ministers” who have commented on a potential deal have said that Israel should not free high-value terrorists who have murdered Israelis. White House national security spokesman John Kirby rebuked Israeli finance minister Betzalel Smotrich for expressing such sentiments.
But Hamas, not Netanyahu, has been the consistent obstacle to a deal.
Vice President Kamala Harris has also been pushing a deal, to no avail. On Saturday, she reacted to unsubstantiated reports of civilian casualties in an Israeli attack on a Hamas position in a school compound by criticizing Israel, not Hamas, and by calling for a ceasefire ad hostage deal as soon as possible.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of “”The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days,” available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of “The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency,” now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.