The Biden administration told a meeting of foreign ambassadors that it believes Hamas terrorists withdrew from hostage negotiations last week in an effort to instead ramp up more worldwide pressure on Israel, Axios reported Friday.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan met with 18 ambassadors representing countries that have hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. According to the White House, Sullivan and the diplomats met Wednesday to discuss “their collective call for Hamas to immediately release the hostages and ways to bring an end to the crisis.”
But in addition, Sullivan told the group that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar withdrew from the talks in Cairo because he doesn’t want to make a deal at this point.
It was framed at the time that Sinwar withdrew because of Israel’s incursion into Rafah to eradicate more terrorists. Sinwar’s calculus was that another round of failed talks, caused by his recusal, would direct more pressure on Israel, according to Axios.
Sullivan urged the ambassadors to exert pressure on Hamas through myriad channels, including third parties and public messaging.
In addition to the U.S., ambassadors and chiefs of mission representing Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom were also in attendance.
Sullivan himself is headed for Saudi Arabia on Saturday ahead of a trip to Israel on Sunday to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sullivan will meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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