Hamas to Biden: ‘Time to walk the talk, Joe’

Alameen Templeton

Hamas has called out US president Joe Biden on Gaza’s depraved “ceasefire” talks, saying he needs to implement his own commitments before negotiations can continue.

But, whether or not Biden can “walk the talk” remains to be seen as his days in the Oval Office run out and US stature continues a worldwide decline amid its ironclad support for the Gaza genocide.

Hamas Sunday urged mediators to focus on implementing the ceasefire deal already on the table rather than initiating new talks to nowhere.

It accused Biden of providing Israel with “cover” to continue its war on Gaza.

The call comes days after US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators invited Israel and Hamas to attend yet another summit on 15 August to finalise another agreement.

Either Israel or the US have sabotaged, Punch-and-Judy-style, every, single agreement Hamas has committed itself to in over nine months of futile negotiations since October 7.

While Hamas did not address its participation in the latest, suggested meeting, Middle East Monitor reports it “appeared to doubt participating”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused of blocking a ceasefire and perpetuating the war, said he would send a negotiations team to the summit.

But that may be just a ruse to try delay or defuse an expected missile retaliation from Iran after its latest assassination spree.

Hamas pointed out it had previously accepted several proposals from mediators, the latest in May, and had welcomed US President Joe Biden’s outline later the same month.

Now, they want Biden to stand by his own commitments. If he can’t be trusted, then pinning hopes on Israel and Netanyahu is a waste of time, it’s saying.

The group also demanded meditators “oblige the occupation to” follow through with the deal.

More pointless talks or new proposals would “provide cover for the occupation’s aggression and give it more time to perpetuate the war of genocide against our people”, the group added.

Netanyahu has been backtracking in typical fashion on commitments made in the talks and has also made new demands.

Progress in talks were also stalled by Israel’s assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut last month.

The attacks occurred just two days after Netanyahu said a team would be sent to the summit called by the mediators.

Israel has killed about 51 000 Palestinians (including those missing) in its 10-month-long war on Gaza, 25 000 of them women and children.