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Sunday, March 2, 2025
US backs Israeli stance in hostage talks, but doesn’t confirm Witkoff behind proposal
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
The White House says it backs Israel’s approach in the hostage negotiations, but does not specifically confirm Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s characterization of the proposal Jerusalem decided to back last night for a new hostage release framework as one crafted by the Trump administration’s Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.
Earlier today, an Arab official denied to The Times of Israel that Witkoff is behind a proposal announced by Netanyahu’s office last night. That proposal would abandon the second phase framework that Israel and Hamas had agreed to for a new outline of releasing the remaining 59 hostages in two batches toward the beginning and end of the Ramadan and Passover holidays that run through March and April.
The Arab official said the plan Netanyahu described as Witkoff’s was “more of an Israeli plan.”
Asked to comment on the claim, White House National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes avoids responding directly, instead sending a statement that expresses support for the position of Israel, which decided to stop the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, with the first phase of the deal expiring yesterday.
“Israel has negotiated in good faith since the beginning of this administration to ensure the release of hostages held captive by Hamas terrorists. We will support their decision on next steps, given Hamas has indicated it’s no longer interested in a negotiated ceasefire,” Hughes says.
Israel and Hamas were supposed to begin negotiations regarding the terms of phase two a month ago, but Israel refrained from doing so, as it requires — in exchange for the release of the remaining living hostages — a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and permanent ceasefire, which Netanyahu has ruled out, despite signing onto those terms.
Saturday was also supposed to see Israel begin to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor between Egypt and Gaza, but Netanyahu’s office already said last month that it would not be complying with this requirement.
The Arab official says Hamas made clear before and after Netanyahu’s announcement that it was only prepared to release additional hostages as part of the framework that the sides agreed to in January.
The Times of Israel Community.