White House slams Israeli ‘extremists’ for resisting hostage deal

The White House has condemned Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich for arguing against a ceasefire and hostage release deal brokered with the Biden administration, calling his recent public statements unhelpful and dangerous.

National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby on Friday said the US welcomes Israel’s announcement that it will participate in talks with Hamas representatives set to begin next week, either in Doha or Cairo, and said President Joe Biden has spoken with Israeli and Qatari leaders about “a way forward” to “close remaining gaps and to see if we can get this hostage deal concluded.”

But Kirby also noted that there have been statements from “some quarters in Israel over recent days” attacking the proposed ceasefire agreement, which would provide for a return of Israeli and American hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Approximately 116 hostages are thought to still be held by the militant group 10 months after the October 7 terror attacks, including 79 civilians. There have not been any hostages released since November 2023, though Israel has managed to free a small number through military action in recent months.

He called out the criticisms of the agreement as “wrong… not only in substance but also in jeopardizing the lives of the hostages” and said the attacks on the proposal are “counter to Israel’s own national security interests.”

Turning to specific attacks leveled by Smotrich, who has called the proposal a “surrender” to Hamas and argued against exchanging hostages for prisoners — a practice for which there are significant precedents — Kirby said the right-wing cabinet minister “essentially suggests the war ought to go on indefinitely “ and implies that the hostages are