Kamala Harris Pressured Israel as Sinwar Cited U.S. Stance to Reject Hostage Deal

As the U.S. continues to grapple with its role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, new information has surfaced regarding Vice President Kamala Harris’ actions during the months leading up to Hamas’ rejection of a major hostage deal in March. The terror group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar, rejected Israel’s offer to release 700 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 40 Israeli hostages, citing increasing U.S. pressure against Israel’s Gaza counteroffensive as a key reason.

Sinwar’s refusal came just as the Biden administration, led by Harris, ramped up its criticism of Israel. This culminated in a rejection of the ceasefire offer, leaving hostages in the hands of Hamas while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued its military response.

In the lead-up to the hostage deal breakdown, Harris took an even firmer stance than President Joe Biden. On March 3, she condemned Israel’s actions during a speech in Selma, Alabama, where she demanded an “immediate ceasefire” and criticized the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. The Vice President claimed Palestinians were killed while approaching aid trucks, although the IDF reported that deaths occurred during stampedes.

Harris’ speech was reportedly toned down by the National Security Council, but her message remained clear: Israel’s actions were being scrutinized, and her call for a ceasefire made no mention of linking the release of Israeli hostages as a condition.

On March 24, Harris went further, stating that Israel’s planned ground invasion into Rafah would be a “huge mistake.” She warned of potential "consequences" if Israel moved forward with its offensive, saying, “There’s nowhere for those folks to go.” When pressed about what those consequences might be, she refused to rule out any options.

The U.S. also abstained from a March 25 UN Security Council vote calling for a ceasefire during Ramadan, which did not demand Hamas release hostages. This marked a major shift in U.S. policy, as the administration had previously vetoed similar anti-Israel resolutions.

The consequences of this pressure were felt when Israel proceeded with its ground invasion of Rafah, where Sinwar was ultimately killed on October 16. Tragically, IDF forces discovered the bodies of six hostages who had been murdered shortly before their arrival, with evidence pointing to Sinwar’s involvement.

Meanwhile, during this period, Harris' stepdaughter Ella Emhoff was fundraising for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), an organization now under fire for its connections to terror groups. UNRWA’s U.S. funding had been suspended due to ties with Hamas, and a report revealed that nine UNRWA employees may have been involved in the terrorist organization’s October 7 attacks.

This combination of U.S. pressure on Israel, reluctance to push for hostage release, and ambiguous support for entities with connections to Hamas raises serious questions about the administration's handling of the conflict. As Hamas used this perceived leverage to reject the hostage deal, it’s becoming clear that America's role in this volatile situation may have inadvertently cost lives.

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