Israel and Biden officials working on last-minute push for hostage deal before Trump takes office

Axios reported early Wednesday morning that U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan will travel to Israel, Egypt and Qatar this week in a final effort to achieve a hostage release ceasefire deal before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20, 2025. 

The Biden administration seems to realize that its leverage to influence parties in the negotiations has diminished, the ultimatum given by Trump at the beginning of December has added to the pressure for Hamas to come to an agreement or possibly face severe consequences. 

The administration is now seeking to leverage this renewed momentum to secure a significant foreign policy achievement before leaving office. Sullivan met with families of the American hostages on Tuesday, telling them that he is coordinating his efforts with the incoming Trump administration to secure a deal, and that the deal “remains a critical priority for President Biden.” 

Axios reported that Sullivan plans to pressure Israel, Egypt, and Qatar to achieve and implement a hostage release ceasefire deal as soon as possible. 

On Tuesday, Trump met with Israeli-American Judith Raanan, who was taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attacks, and released two weeks later as a sign of their willingness to negotiate a hostage-prisoner exchange deal. 

During the meeting, Trump said, “We're working very hard to get the hostages back and as you know Jan. 20 is a very big day,” possibly referring to his ultimatum to Hamas. 

Also on Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar travelled to Cairo to meet with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and senior Egyptian military officials in an effort to move forward with the recently proposed deal put forward by Egypt and Israel last week. 

A senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Hamas seems to be willing to move towards a deal given the dramatic shifts in the Middle East over the past couple of weeks. 

“Two weeks ago I thought Hamas didn’t want a deal,” the official told the Times, “Now I am inclined to think that it has changed its mind.” 

He also said that the Israeli government believes there is a chance to achieve a deal before Trump takes office. Some analysts believe the recent release of the video featuring hostage Matan Zangauker is evidence of Hamas’ willingness to negotiate. 

Several Arab news sites reported that Hamas turned over a list of living hostages which could be released if a deal is reached. 

However, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday that "we are not on the verge of completion of a deal, but we think there is a chance to get a deal done.” 

He also admitted that the main obstacle for a deal is Hamas. 

“There is still work to do,” Kirby continued. “Hamas remains the obstacle, and we are pressing hard.” 

Early Wednesday morning, the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen Lebanese news site issued a statement from Hamas official Ahmed Abdel Hadi, denying reports of progress. He said that reports of Hamas receiving a new proposal and transferring a list of hostages “are just Israeli rumors.” 

However, shortly after, the Lebanese news site al-Akhbar, also affiliated with the Hezbollah terror group, released a report saying that progress in the negotiations was achieved, announcing “preliminary agreements emerging from the Israeli security delegation that visited Cairo.” 

Citing Egyptian security officials, al-Akhbar said that “Cairo provided the Israeli delegation with a list of 30 prisoners who meet the initial conditions for release,” specifically the elderly and those with medical conditions. 

The report also said that IDF chief Halevi discussed the securing of the Philadelphi Corridor to prevent weapons smuggling. According to al-Akhbar, the IDF will stay in the corridor during the initial phase of the hostage release deal. 

It also claimed that Israel is willing to accept a Palestinian Authority presence on a governing committee for Gaza, but not a Hamas presence.