Biden dismisses journalist’s question on reaching deal for Gaza captives

As US president’s word ends, repeated attempts to unafraid a ceasefire and extremity Israel’s warfare person not yielded results.

United States President Joe Biden avoided answering a mobility astir whether he had immoderate dream of reaching a ceasefire and bringing backmost Israeli captives successful nan Gaza Strip earlier nan extremity of his term.

“Do you deliberation you tin support from getting deed successful nan caput by a camera down you?” nan outgoing president said astatine nan White House connected Tuesday aft an Israeli journalist asked whether a woody mightiness beryllium imaginable by January.

Biden made nan comment, according to a White House transcript, astatine nan commencement of a gathering pinch Israeli President Isaac Herzog arsenic they were surrounded successful nan Oval Office by reporters and cameras.

Neria Kraus, nan journalist who asked nan mobility and posted a video connected societal media level X, wrote that “the governmental reality is specified that President Biden, who’s committed to bring nan hostages home, was not capable to springiness maine a clear reply astir this very captious mobility regarding getting a hostage woody by nan extremity of his term”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been repeatedly blamed – including from wrong Israel – for sabotaging efforts to put an extremity to nan warfare arsenic he seeks to support his far-right authorities successful power. He created a furor successful nan state aft sacking his defence minister, Yoav Gallant.

While Israel’s caller Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said this week that “certain progress” has been achieved successful talks astir a ceasefire successful Lebanon – pinch Hezbollah maintaining it has not received immoderate bid connection yet – nan Israeli authorities person reported nary important ongoing talks connected Gaza.

Some successful Gaza and Lebanon are concerned that nan re-election of Donald Trump arsenic US president could spell much disaster for nan besieged and displaced group successful some territories.

During nan gathering pinch Herzog connected Tuesday, Biden again emphasised that “my committedness to Israel is ironclad and we stock a heavy friendship.”

I asked President Biden if he thinks that he tin get a hostage woody done by nan extremity of his term. He answered, commenting connected nan number of cameramen successful nan room: “do you deliberation that you tin get deed successful nan caput by nan camera down you?” pic.twitter.com/B3DCJoHdaw

— Neria Kraus (@NeriaKraus) November 12, 2024

The Israeli president began by discussing nan latest Hezbollah attacks connected Israel, but besides noted that Israel still has 101 captives successful nan Gaza Strip much than 400 days aft nan commencement of nan warfare connected nan enclave.

Herzog said they request to beryllium returned to Israel safely “as they are going done hellhole successful nan dungeons of Gaza”, thing Biden agreed with.

Qatar said it has suspended its mediation efforts betwixt Hamas and Israel until nan parties show “their willingness and seriousness” to extremity nan warfare successful Gaza.

The US said support to Israel will proceed aft a 30-day deadline to boost assistance to Gaza aliases look cuts to weapons backing expired, despite a warning from 8 humanitarian assistance groups.

Joyce Msuya, nan interim main of nan United Nations Office for nan Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said nan world is “witnessing acts reminiscent of nan gravest world crimes successful Gaza” arsenic Israel dismissed warnings of famine successful nan enclave arsenic “slanderous”.

On Wednesday, nan Israeli subject issued much forced displacement orders for Haret Hreik and Ghobeiry municipalities successful Lebanon arsenic it launched attacks connected nan capital, Beirut, while its forces pounded Gaza and pressed connected pinch their violative successful nan northbound of nan enclave.

Israel’s warfare successful Gaza has killed astatine slightest 43,665 Palestinians and wounded 103,076 since October 7, 2023, arsenic a dire humanitarian situation worsens successful nan enclave. An estimated 1,139 group were killed successful Israel during nan Hamas-led attacks that time and much than 200 were taken captive.

In Lebanon, astatine slightest 3,287 group person been killed and 14,222 wounded successful Israeli attacks since nan warfare connected Gaza began.