JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United States comes as negotiations to end the Israel-Hamas war and recover hostages held in Gaza inch forward — with no immediate deal in sight.
Egypt, Qatar and the United States continue to push Israel and Hamas toward a phased cease-fire agreement that would stop the fighting and free the hostages. The negotiations have repeatedly hit obstacles over disputes about the governance of post-war Gaza and how enduring the cease-fire will be.
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Netanyahu's vowing "total victory" in Gaza to thunderous congressional applause Wednesday risks inflaming tensions with Hamas at a time when talks are delicate. But he also came under increased U.S. pressure to engage sincerely in cease-fire efforts. Critics say Netanyahu is stalling during negotiations so that he can draw out the war for his own political gain.
A team of Israeli negotiators that was meant to travel to Qatar for another round of talks was held back Thursday and may be dispatched next week.
Here's a look at how Netanyahu's visit might impact the talks:
It may have bolstered pressure for a deal
During the trip, Netanyahu seemed to avoid public mention of cease-fire talks, angering hostage families in Israel who felt their plight was ignored. Domestic pressure runs high for a deal that would bring home the remaining 110 hostages, but Netanyahu also faces opposition from his far-right governing partners to any agreement to end the war.
His speech to Congress Wednesday made scant mention of the hostages. His office said reaching a deal was but one of several items on his wish list to discuss with American officials.
Still, the visit opened Netanyahu up to face-to-face pressure from Israel's top ally, on whom it counts for critical military and domestic support.
Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris said that in their meetings with Netanyahu in Washington on Thursday, they would prioritize closing gaps on a hostage deal.
In some of her most forceful comments, Harris said she told Netanyahu “it is time” to end the war and bring back the hostages.
But with Netanyahu keeping an eye on his coalition partners - the key to his political survival - the trip could also be part of a broader delaying tactic to avoid reaching a deal.
“While his coalition is wobbling because of the tension with the extreme-right parties, Netanyahu is deliberately delaying the negotiations for the release of the hostages,” wrote columnist Amos Harel in the liberal Israeli daily, Haaretz, adding that Netanyahu had “engineered” a long trip.
The rapidly changing political developments in the U.S., Harel said, might distract leaders there from pressing the cease-fire talks urgently.
It inflamed tensions with Hamas
Netanyahu's visit and his fiery speech to Congress stoked tensions with Hamas at a time when the militant group's negotiators are at the table.
Hamas reacted angrily to Netanyahu's presence in the U.S., calling his vows to return the hostages insincere.
“He is the one who thwarted all efforts aimed at ending the war and concluding a deal to release the prisoners,” it said in a statement after the speech. It called Netanyahu's talk of intensified efforts to free the hostages a “complete lie” to mislead public opinion.
Hamas spokesman Jihad Taha said Thursday the group didn't believe the visit — during which Netanyahu received a standing ovation from Congress — would prompt enough pressure on him to impact the Israeli negotiating position.
“If the American administration is serious, it should put pressure on the prime minister of the Zionist government Benjamin Netanyahu to stop this aggression,” he said.
But Hamas stopped short of pulling out of talks over the visit, a sign the talks may resume.
Gaps in talks remain
Netanyahu’s U.S. trip came as the talks already faced challenges.
The cease-fire plan calls for an initial six-week phase in which Hamas would release some hostages — including women, older adults and wounded people — in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from populated areas. Palestinian civilians would be able to return to their homes and humanitarian aid would be ramped up.
The two sides are supposed to use that six-week period to negotiate an agreement on the second phase, which would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza along with an enduring halt to the war.
But the two sides appear far apart on that second phase.
Israeli leaders have suggested they aim for a one-phase deal freeing some hostages, after which they would resume their campaign to destroy Hamas and keep troops in parts of the territory long term.
Netanyahu has spoken of striking a “partial” deal. A day before coming to the U.S., he told troops in Gaza's southernmost city Rafah that Israel demanded “a maximum number of hostages” be released in the first phase. On Tuesday, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Israel seeks a deal for the release of “dozens of hostages. And after this issue has passed, we will know how to return to fighting.”
That's a scenario Hamas has rejected. It dropped a demand that Israel commit up front to a complete end to the war, but it has sought guarantees from mediators that negotiations - and the halt to fighting - will continue until a permanent cease-fire is reached.
Mediators say they don’t want to repeat the experience of a short-lived truce in November that led to the release of some Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners but was followed by a renewed Israeli offensive that has continued for eight months since.
Mediators appear to be trying to sort out as much of the second phase as possible now, including a post-war rule for Gaza without Hamas.
“There are details to be worked through,” said U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan while speaking in Aspen, Colorado last week. Sullivan said those issues include what is to be Israel’s remaining military presence in Gaza, humanitarian assistance and a day-after plan for governing Gaza.
Netanyahu’s office did not say when the Israeli negotiating team would be dispatched once more for talks. At Congress, he said Israel was “actively engaged in intensive efforts" to secure the release of the hostages and was “confident these efforts could succeed.” But he also pledged “total victory” in the war with Hamas.
Taha said Hamas is waiting on an official Israeli response to amendments proposed by Hamas.
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AP Correspondents Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington D.C., Bassem Mroue and Abby Sewell in Beirut and Tia Goldenberg in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.