“The Ineptitude of the Biden Administration Has No Limits”: Biden Criticized for Admitting He Doesn’t Know When Hamas Will Release American Hostages

Michelle HollandNov 30, 2023

Minute Read

Though Biden has celebrated the first release of hostages by Hamas, he has warned the public of the challenges ahead as many American citizens remain captive in Gaza.

The Temporary Ceasefire

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On 22 November, Israel and Hamas made a deal to exchange captives and adhere to a ceasefire for four days. Hamas pledged to release around 50 hostages, mostly women and children, taken captive on October 7, whereas Israel agreed to release 150 Palestinian prisoners, many of whom have been held for years without trial and were arrested for non-violent crimes.

First Hostages Released

November 24 saw the first release of hostages, with Hamas swapping 24 people — 13 Israeli, 10 Thai, and 1 Filipino — for 39 Palestinians detained by the IDF. On November 25, Hamas released a further 13 Israeli hostages.

The Israel-Hamas War

After Hamas killed around 1,300 to 1,400 people in Israel on October 7, Israel declared war on Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip. Israel’s military campaign against Gaza has killed around 15,000 Palestinians, with the majority of the population being displaced by the war.

Biden’s Statement

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On the news of the hostage release, Biden stated: “Today has been a product of a lot of hard work and weeks of personal engagement. From the moment Hamas kidnapped these people, I, along with my team, have worked around the clock to secure their release.”

The American Hostages

Americans are said to be among the hostages being held in Gaza, but Hamas has yet to release any in the captive exchange. On the release of American hostages, Biden explained: “We don’t know when that will occur, but we expect it to occur.”

Biden Remains Hopeful

He continued, “And we don’t know what the list of all the hostages are or when they’ll be released, but we know the numbers when they’re going to be released. So my hope and expectation is that it will be soon.” Around 240 people were said to have been captured by Hamas on October 7.

Humanitarian Aid

The ceasefire and hostage exchange is the most positive development in the Israel-Hamas war so far. Hundreds of trucks of fuel, food, and medicine were also sent to Gaza as part of the truce terms, with more due to arrive.

Unquantifiable Trauma

Biden explained: “All of these hostages have been through a terrible ordeal. And this is the beginning of a long journey of healing for them. The teddy bears waiting to greet those children at the hospital are a stark reminder of the trauma these young children have been through at such a very young age.”

Biden’s Dwindling Popularity

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Biden’s approach to the war has seen him lose favor in progressive circles, with many people criticizing him for not pushing for a ceasefire or strongly condemning Israel. Many progressives are also requesting that more pressure be applied to the Israeli government over the increasing illegal settlements in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza.

Reducing Civilian Casualties

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A recent statement from Biden also revealed that he has called for Netanyahu to “focus on trying to reduce the number of casualties,” but that Hamas must also be eliminated.

US Aid to Israel

Several Democratic lawmakers have requested that aid to Israel be attached to conditions, such as less bombing. Though Biden called this a “worthwhile thought”, he also added: “I don’t think if I started off with that we would’ve ever gotten to where we got today. We have to take this a piece at a time.”

Praising Biden’s Role

Some people online praised Biden for the part he played in helping ensure the release of hostages. “President Biden deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for this one,” one forum commenter declared.

A Diplomatic Approach

Another person addressed Biden’s critics, stating: “I’d like to point out again for the benefit of those who wanted Biden to kick Israel to the curb immediately: if he’d done that, none of these negotiations would have happened.” Someone else concurred, “Turns out, people are more likely to listen to you when you work with them, and don’t drop them instantly.”

Conservatives React

Many conservatives, however, were unimpressed with Biden’s work, especially regarding the American hostages. “Hamas laughs at Biden,” one poster exclaimed. Another stated: “The ineptitude of the Biden administration has no limits.”

The Best Job Possible

Others felt that Biden was facing an impossible task, and had handled it well. One forum member claimed: “Biden is doing about as good a job as anyone could be not being one of the countries involved. Really proud of how Biden is handling things.”

Not Enough Credit

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Someone else agreed: “Just another major Biden victory which he likely won’t get credit for. What an incredible leader we have, and we should be thankful he’s in charge right now.” Another user insisted that “Biden is really doing a lot here to maintain a valuable resource and protect Palestinian lives.”

Unfair Criticism

Many felt Biden was getting too much backlash from progressives, with one contributor writing: “I continue to be floored my age range block is not thinking about this strategically and letting their heart get ahead of their brain here,” adding that “this is a really complex issue.”