Hamas hostage's niece worries a deal isn't in Netanyahu's "political interest"

As reports of Israel's caller cease-fire proposal  renew hopes for nan merchandise of hostages still being held by Hamas, nan niece of an U.S.-Israeli captive said that while she believes a woody tin beryllium reached, her family is concerned that finalizing immoderate benignant of bid statement whitethorn not service Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governmental agenda. 

President Biden said pinch Netanyahu connected Sunday, nan White House confirmed to CBS News.

• Transcript: Hanna Siegel connected "Face nan Nation," April 28, 2024

"I do deliberation a woody tin beryllium reached. I mean, we cognize that. A woody was reached successful November ... truthful we cognize that it's possible," Hanna Siegel said Sunday connected "Face nan Nation."  She told moderator Margaret Brennan that nan United States "plays a captious role" successful nan speech process, arsenic it did during nan first cease-fire, but acknowledged that "ultimately, this is simply a speech betwixt Hamas and Prime Minister Netanyahu successful Israel."

"And 1 of nan things that really worries my family, and worries me, is that it's arguably not successful Prime Minister Netanyahu's governmental liking to adjacent a deal," Siegel said. 

Her uncle, Keith Siegel, was among those taken hostage by Hamas erstwhile nan group's militant helping attacked confederate Israel connected Oct. 7. Israeli authorities person said 250 group were captured and subsequently hidden distant successful nan Gaza Strip. Netanyahu declared warfare connected Hamas, pausing only for a impermanent weeklong cease-fire brokered successful November, during which much than 100 hostages — chiefly women and children — were freed alongside astir 240 Palestinians antecedently detained successful Israeli prisons. 

Hanna Siegel connected "Face nan Nation," April 28, 2024. CBS News

Netanyahu has said that freeing nan remaining hostages is 1 of his 3 main objectives successful Gaza. He reiterated those points on "Face nan Nation" successful February, pinch nan different 2 being to "destroy Hamas" and to "ensure that Gaza does not airs a threat to Israel successful nan future." 

"Unless we person full victory, we can't person peace," Netanyahu said astatine nan time. As nan warfare has drawn on, immoderate of nan hostages' family members person accused Israeli leaders, including nan premier curate and his unprecedented far-right cabinet, of forgoing a woody that could prevention them for governmental reasons.

"There is simply a batch swirling successful nan governmental scenery successful Israel," Siegel said Sunday. "We're astatine 205 days. There person been deals connected nan table. And they've proven elusive. And I interest that that is because of Prime Minister Netanyahu.

"So, I deliberation that now is nan moment. I person religion that we tin do a woody now. But I besides deliberation that if that isn't possible, past nan Biden management should deliberation astir what they tin do straight to bring our American citizens home."

Keith Siegel's wife, Aviva Siegel, was 1 of nan hostages that Hamas freed during that cease-fire. There had been nary connection astir him for months, his family said, until he appeared successful undated video footage released Saturday by Hamas connected nan group's societal media channel, which is often utilized to people propaganda. Siegel was seen successful nan video pinch different hostage, identified arsenic Omri Miran by nan Hostages and Missing Families Forum, respective days aft akin footage emerged of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, different Israeli-American being held hostage. Siegel, who is 64, holds American and Israeli citizenship. 

As of April 24, location were 5 group who are American citizens who are unaccounted for and presumed to beryllium held live s successful Gaza, a U.S. charismatic confirmed to CBS News. The remains of 3 different U.S. citizens are believed to beryllium successful nan possession of Hamas. A U.S. charismatic told CBS News that nan Federal Bureau of Investigation was reviewing nan latest impervious of life video aft its merchandise connected Saturday. 

Hanna Siegel told Brennan connected Sunday that nan timing of nan propaganda videos' merchandise could perchance beryllium a motion that Hamas is unfastened to reaching a woody pinch Israel.

"You know, for us, this is nan moment," she said. "I do deliberation that these 2 videos are a awesome from Hamas that they are fresh to make a woody and a reminder that location are American citizens being held, including Keith."

Despite mounting calls from civilians to prioritize nan remaining hostages' safe return, and pledges from Mr. Biden that his management "will not rest" until that happens, attempts to scope different cease-fire woody person fallen isolated since Israel ended nan provisional truce past fall. Hamas has pushed for a prolonged break successful fighting and nan withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza successful speech for nan merchandise of astir 100 group still believed to beryllium live successful captivity, and nan remains of astir 30 others. Israel has repeatedly rejected Hamas' demands and said it will proceed nan violative pinch nan extremity of destroying nan group. 

But elder Hamas charismatic Khalil al-Hayva said Saturday that they were evaluating a caller cease-fire connection from Israel and "upon completion of its study, it will taxable a response," nan Associated Press reported. The charismatic did not stock specifications astir nan connection but said that it came successful consequence to a connection from Hamas 2 weeks ago, according to nan AP. 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is walking to nan region connected Sunday to talk a imaginable cease-fire and a hostage agreement. Although Hanna Siegel said that she "has religion that we tin do a woody now," she besides called connected nan Biden management "to deliberation astir what they tin do straight to bring our American citizens home" if negotiations neglect again.

"What I cognize is that nan Biden management has shown unwavering and relentless committedness to my family and nan families of each of nan hostages," she said. "And I cognize that it is their privilege to bring each hostages, including nan Americans, home. And truthful I cognize that they are doing perfectly everything that they can."

In:
• Hostage Situation
• Hamas
• Israel
• Gaza Strip
• Benjamin Neta​nyahu