US Says Two Issues Hold Up Hostage Deal, Netanyahu’s Philadelphi Corridor Comments Add Complications

A senior Biden administration official stated on Wednesday that a potential hostage deal between Israel and Hamas is being held up by two key issues: the list of Palestinian prisoners Hamas is seeking to free and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Philadelphi Corridor along the Gaza-Egypt border.

The official added that recent public statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he vowed to maintain an Israeli presence in the corridor indefinitely, have further complicated negotiations. The Philadelphi Corridor has become a major sticking point, with Hamas rejecting Israel’s new demands on the area, which had not been part of the original deal framework presented in May.

Negotiations, led by the US in Doha, have focused on three main components: the conditions of the hostage-prisoner exchange, the terms for humanitarian aid into Gaza, and the ceasefire, including Israel’s military withdrawal from Gaza. According to the US official, Israel and Hamas have agreed on 14 of the 18 paragraphs in the deal, with the remaining points centering on the hostage swap and the Philadelphi Corridor.

The proposed deal envisions hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including those convicted of terror offenses, being released in exchange for 101 hostages. However, Hamas has introduced new demands regarding the prisoner list, slowing the process.

The situation worsened last week after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The “outrageous” killings have added urgency to the negotiations while also raising doubts about Hamas’s readiness to finalize the deal, the official said.

Netanyahu’s repeated insistence on maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi Corridor has become a major obstacle, according to the US official, who explained that such public declarations make negotiations more difficult. “Staking out concrete positions in the middle of negotiations isn’t always particularly helpful,” the official said, in what was seen as a rare critique of Netanyahu’s approach.

Despite the complications, US officials remain committed to reaching an agreement that will secure the release of the remaining hostages, halt the fighting, and ensure humanitarian aid flows into Gaza. The deal also includes provisions for the evacuation of wounded Gazan civilians and Hamas fighters for treatment abroad.

As the negotiations continue, hopes remain that a resolution can be reached to save lives and bring stability to the region.

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