Biden tells Bibi Israel may have to release more Palestinian Murderers than in last deal

 

President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday that in any new hostage deal, Israel will may have to release more Palestinian prisoners for each freed hostage than it did in the previous pause in Gaza fighting, two U.S. and Israeli officials said.

Why it matters: The number of Palestinian prisoners Hamas is demanding Israel release as part of a new hostage deal is the main sticking point in the indirect negotiations between the parties.

• While U.S. officials say Biden agrees with Netanyahu that Hamas' demand to release thousands of prisoners, including many convicted of murdering Israelis, is "over the top," the U.S. president also believes Israel could show more flexibility on the issue.
• That's in part because at least five of the roughly 40 women, children, elderly and wounded hostages that could be released are female soldiers.

Behind the scenes: Netanyahu told Biden during their phone call on Sunday that "unlike some reports in the Israeli press," he does want to get a new hostage deal. But he stressed it needs to be a deal that can pass in the Israeli cabinet, U.S. and Israeli officials said.

• Netanyahu said the proposal that the U.S., Israel, Qatar and Egypt agreed to in Paris two weeks ago was "very generous" because Israel agreed to more than 10 times the number of days for a pause in fighting than it did in the initial part of the previous hostage deal. The Paris proposal includes a six-week pause in fighting in return for release of roughly 40 hostages as part of the first phase of the deal.