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

U.S. National Security Advisor 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 Jan. 20, 2025, according to the Axios news outlet.

The Biden administration appears to recognize that its ability to influence the parties in the negotiations has diminished, while the ultimatum issued by Trump at the beginning of December has increased the pressure on Hamas to reach an agreement or potentially face significant consequences. Biden and his team are 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 it “remains a critical priority for President Biden.” 

On Tuesday, Trump met with Israeli-American Judith Raanan, who was abducted into Gaza by Hamas terrorists during the Oct. 7 attack last year. She was released two weeks later as a sign of the terror group's willingness to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails.

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 Director Ronen Bar traveled to Cairo to meet with Egyptian Intelligence Chief Hassan Rashad and senior Egyptian military officials to advance the recently proposed deal put forth by Egypt and Israel last week.

A senior Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Hamas seems willing to secure 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 stated. “Now I am inclined to think that it has changed its mind.” 

He said 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 Spokesman 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 to a deal is Hamas. 

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

Early on Wednesday morning, the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Mayadeen news site in Lebanon 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, “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 stated that Halevi discussed securing 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.