Insurgent Democratic presidential contender Rep. Dean Phillips would not have agreed to the terms of the hostage release deal the Biden administration recently negotiated with Hamas terrorists, the Minnesota Democrat said this week.
Under the terms of the deal, which takes effect on Friday, 50 women and children held captive by Hamas in Gaza will be freed in exchange for the release of several Palestinians imprisoned in Israel.
The agreement also includes a temporary ceasefire in Gaza that will last four days.
Phillips, who launched his effort to hold the 80-year-old president’s primary election last month, sharply criticized the deal, arguing that it does not do enough for Americans held hostage in Palestinian territory.
“No, because right now we have nine Americans held hostage by Hamas, [who] I’ve been there for six weeks, including at least one child,” Phillips, 54, said during an interview with CNN on Tuesday when asked if he would accept the hostage deal.
Phillips called it “inexcusable” that Biden was unable to free the Americans held hostage by Hamas.AP The hostage release agreement was reached after negotiations between Hamas, Egypt, Israel and the Biden administration. Shawn Thew / Pool via CNP / SplashNews.com
“And at this point, I would have expected that American special forces would perhaps help extract them,” Phillips added. “I think it is absurd, shocking and disheartening that six weeks later we still have American hostages being held by a terrorist organization in Gaza.”
On Wednesday, the congressman clarified in a x publication that he is “pleased by the release of some hostages and a pause for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza,” but reiterated that “it is unacceptable that American citizens continue to be held by Hamas.”
“[I]It’s been more than six weeks and it’s inexcusable,” Phillips argued.
Hamas agreed on Tuesday to release 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip. AFP via Getty Images
The Israeli government, which has long rejected talks on a ceasefire if all Hamas hostages are not released, approved the deal on Tuesday after intense cabinet meetings that lasted hours.
The agreement was reached after weeks of talks between Israel, Hamas, the United States and Egypt, moderated by the Qatari government.
If both sides fulfill their parts of the agreement, the agreement will lead to the first major hostage release since the October 7 terrorist attack on the Jewish state, in which Hamas massacred more than 1,200 people and kidnapped another 240.
Israeli air and ground strikes against the terrorist group have killed about 12,000 people, according to Hamas-led Palestinian authorities.
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