The Biden Administration’s Dilemma in the Middle East: Balancing Pressure and Diplomacy to Bring Peace to Gaza

The decision of President Joe Biden to make Israel’s latest offer on hostages and a truce in Gaza public was aimed at putting more pressure on Hamas, according to the White House. It emerged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a proposal that later led to his far-right coalition partners threatening to bring down the government, accusing the prime minister of attempting to “cover up” the agreement made with the USA. Despite mixed signals coming from Netanyahu, the White House insisted that the ball was in Hamas’ court.

The spokesperson of the American National Security Council, John Kirby, emphasized that making the Israeli prime minister’s offer public was not meant to bother him, but rather to highlight how diligently and assertively the Israelis were pursuing a peace agreement. Kirby urged Hamas to accept the deal, which included a ceasefire and the potential withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza over time. He stressed that Hamas was the only obstacle to achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, a sentiment echoed by a spokesperson for the US State Department.

President Biden also reiterated the importance of Hamas accepting the ceasefire proposal, calling it