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In a bid to take a strong stand on international issues, some are urging the current administration to pressurize Hamas to discharge the American hostages seized following last month’s shocking onslaught against Israel. The call for a solid public stance was put forward by various commentators, including a recent piece from a renowned New York newspaper.
The editorial board members ordinarily involved in armchair analysis pointed out the progressive yet fragile discussions taking place in Qatar. As per the proceedings, Hamas is now signaling willingness to free a number of prisoners provided Israel can halt their Gaza offensive for 72 hours.
These same sources indicate that President Biden appears to be instigating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu behind closed doors to consider these demands. They argue that this private persuasion needs to be transitioned into a consistent and robust public cry for the hostages’ liberation.
The concern remains, why hasn’t Biden effectively communicated his stance on this matter, particularly given the urgency correlates to American citizens’ safety? Many believe that the hesitance might stem from low expectations of Hamas’ compliance and the unwillingness to risk American military intervention.
However, alternative strategies to pressure Hamas fall within reach, such as revoking privileges bestowed under the prior administration which allowed Hamas leadership to operate openly in Qatar. This could serve as a cogent reminder of America’s non-negotiable stance on terrorism.
In this vein, public declaration of opposing even the slightest ceasefire until Hamas discloses its captives is also an option. This would add a layer of pressure on the terrorist group and signify an adamant stance – a stance staunchly favoring the freedom of innocent civilians irrespective of the ongoing combat billed conditions.
Yet another option with a larger geopolitical reach could be to reboot sanctions that had previously debilitated Iran, Hamas’ key financial backer. It was noted that the reinstatement of such restrictions could critically hamper their funding streams, thereby reshaping the current scenario.
The authors of the piece question the President’s seeming reluctance to shoulder these responsibilities, especially when the enemy’s transgressions are as clear and as grave as they currently are. Some observers feel that the onus of securing the hostages’ release should be on the U.S. instead of Israel, anticipating that it could inspire the captors to rethink their strategy.
The situation brings the performance of the US and Israeli intelligence agencies to the forefront. According to several reports, signs of unusual activity were picked up the night before the attack by Israeli intelligence but were dismissed as a false alarm, leading to missed opportunities for preventative action.
Observers are now asking if this was an intelligence debacle, given many top officials in the Israeli defense establishment didn’t anticipate the severity of the situation. The grim reality that unfolded questions the effectiveness of prior strategic and operational measures.
The Israeli Prime Minister himself has not been spared from this criticism. Former President Donald Trump, while expressing disappointment, attributed a portion of the bungled response to Netanyahu’s lack of preparedness and proactiveness for the event.
The apparent lack of foresight was reciprocated by American intelligence, who likewise had reported abnormal activity preceding the attack, but did not promptly gauge its magnitude. The NYC paper reported candid remarks by Biden on these tragedies, echoing the horrors that occurred and resonating deeply with the collective shock.
Biden’s words vividly painted a haunting picture of the unimaginable suffering and loss endured by the residents of Israel as well as American expatriates. The indiscriminate attacks shocked the world, and the aftermath is a chilling reflection of the raw, unrelenting brutality of terrorism. His comments were a call for justice, echoing the urgency to offer relief to the grieving families, thereby signaling that concerted efforts are necessary to tackle such extremes of violent extremism.
