The News
Israel recovered from Gaza the bodies of six hostages captured by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack, an operation that came as the US pressed for a ceasefire deal between the two sides.
Israel has agreed to a recent truce proposal from Washington, but US President Joe Biden said the Palestinian militant group was now “backing away” from the plan.
SIGNALS
Families of some hostages accuse Israel of abandoning them
Relatives of the hostages held in Gaza have repeatedly accused Israeli authorities of failing their loved ones. The mother of one abducted citizen told The Times of Israel that she was informed by Mossad in May that a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages was “impossible” in “the current political constellation.” The intelligence agency has denied the allegation. A total of 109 hostages are still believed to be in Gaza, Reuters reported: Around a third of this figure are thought to be dead, “with the fate of the others unknown.”
Tel Aviv bombing could disrupt truce talks
Hamas and the Islamic Jihad took responsibility for what they described as a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv on Sunday, marking the first such incident since 2016. They said it was retaliation for the “continued civilian displacement and killings” of Palestinians in Gaza, The New York Times reported. The incident could upend already fragile discussions between Hamas and Israel, Foreign Policy noted: The bombing occurred just one hour after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel to promote a new ceasefire deal. Under the proposal, both sides would agree to a six-week truce, Israeli hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the Israel Defense Forces would withdraw from densely-populated areas in Gaza.
Hamas says US ‘buying time for Israel’
Israel argues that Hamas has refused to agree to terms that could see the beginning of a ceasefire in Gaza. But Hamas on Tuesday said that Biden is showing a “blind bias” for Israel by shifting the terms of the ceasefire and acquiescing to Israeli demands. The US is angling for a deal to be reached in the coming days, but neither Israel nor Hamas seem to be negotiating with the same urgency, the BBC reported. “Major differences are said to remain on issues including Israel’s continuing military presence in Gaza,” as well as the rights of displaced Palestinians, the broadcaster noted.