On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed families of hostages that a cease-fire agreement might not materialize and reaffirmed that the Israeli military would maintain control over the Gazan-Egyptian border, a crucial request from the Hamas militant organization.

The Hostages Families Forum reported that Netanyahu stated Israel would “under no circumstances leave the Philadelphia axis and the Netzer Corridor,” expressing uncertainty about the possibility of a deal. The forum accused Netanyahu of dismissing any potential hostage agreement.

The group lamented, “There is no hope and no heroism in a ‘firm’ stand that results in the ongoing deaths of all the captives,” and claimed, “The Israeli government abandoned the abductees on 7.10 and is now abandoning them entirely.”

The Biden administration has been advocating a mediating proposal, hoping for a resolution by the end of the week. Following Netanyahu’s indication on Monday that Israel could agree to the plan conceptually, Hamas issued a statement ridiculing it as merely a compilation of Israeli demands. Shortly after, President Joe Biden claimed Hamas was “backing away” from an agreement.

Hamas voiced “great surprise and discontent” with Biden’s assertion, accusing him of showing “total American bias towards the Zionist occupation and fully participating in the aggression and war of genocide against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip.”

Latest Updates:

∎ Delta Air Lines announced on Tuesday it will prolong its suspension of flights to and from Israel until September 30. Previously, American Airlines extended its flight halt until March 29, 2025.

∎ Iran supports any initiative aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza and aiding its citizens, but the spokesperson for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Alimohammad Naini, stated that they do “not see the U.S. actions as genuine.”

Israeli expert: Talks favor Israel

A former intelligence official and regional analyst from Israel pointed out that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s rejection of the U.S. cease-fire proposal gives Netanyahu “room to maneuver” while diminishing Iran’s capacity to retaliate against Israel.

Avi Melamed, author of “Inside The Middle East: Entering A New Era,” told YSL News that the Biden administration casting blame on Hamas for the failure to achieve a cease-fire paves the way for ongoing U.S. military assistance. This situation permits Israel to maintain its offensive operations in Gaza and target Iranian-backed Hezbollah positions in Lebanon without significant risk of retaliation from Iran or Hezbollah that could engage the U.S. directly.

Melamed noted, “Unless Sinwar makes concessions, a deal is unlikely in the near future,” indicating that Israel will persist in its aggressive military actions.

Blinken holds talks with Egypt’s El-Sisi

On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, expressing gratitude for Egypt’s attempts to mediate a cease-fire. Blinken highlighted the need for collaboration to avert a regional escalation of hostilities, according to the State Department.

Egyptian state media reported that El-Sisi conveyed to Blinken that a cease-fire in Gaza must be coupled with broader international acknowledgment of an independent Palestinian state and the implementation of a two-state resolution. However, Israel and Netanyahu have consistently rebuffed calls for Palestinian self-governance.

Israel retrieves bodies of fallen hosts

On Tuesday, the Israeli military reported recovering the remains of six hostages from the Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that Israeli soldiers retrieved the bodies of Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Abraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Chaim Peri from tunnels underneath Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Zahiro Shahar Mor, Munder’s nephew, criticized Israeli authorities for neglecting proposals that could have secured the hostages’ safe return.

“My uncle was a war hero who dedicated his life to building this country,” Mor remarked. “Hamas captured him, but the persistent neglect lies with the Israeli government.”

Israeli officials estimate that 109 hostages could still be in Gaza, though many are believed to be deceased.

Iran’s retaliation might be protracted

According to Naini, retaliation from Iran for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran three weeks ago may take a while longer.

“Time is on our side, and the response may take longer than expected,” Naini commented.

Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed after participating in a ceremonial event for the new Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Following the incident, Hamas and Iran swiftly accused Israel of involvement.

Israel has vowed to eliminate Hamas leaders who were involved in the deadly assault on October 7, which resulted in nearly 1,200 fatalities and the abduction of around 250 individuals. However, Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement in the killing of Haniyeh.