US VP Harris calls for 'immediate' Gaza ceasefire in rare rebuke of Israel

[Polybius]

Source: Al Jazeera

United States Vice President Kamala Harris has called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza while issuing a rare rebuke of Israel.

“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said on Sunday.

“This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in.”

In some of the strongest criticism of Israel yet by the administration of US President Joe Biden, Harris said Israel must do more to allow the delivery of aid, including opening new border crossings and committing not to impose “unnecessary restrictions”.

Read more: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/4/us-vp-harris-calls-for-immediate-gaza-ceasefire-in-rare-rebuke-of-israel

[NickB79]

1. A rebuke of Israel? Oh, right, it's Al Jazeera reporting

"Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” Harris said on Sunday.

You see, she's referencing how Israel has already agreed to the framework of what's on the table for a ceasefire:

https://thehill.com/policy/international/4503940-israel-agrees-to-framework-of-proposed-ceasefire-gaza/

The Israelis “have more or less accepted” the framework and now the ball is in Hamas’ court to agree to the terms, a senior U.S. administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the The Associated Press Saturday, a day before talks will continue in Egypt.

The ceasefire is currently waiting on Hamas, not Israel. So it's in no way a rebuke of Israel. It's a rebuke of Hamas. But of course Al Jazeera would carry water for Hamas.

[moniss]

3. Wording can be less than it seems

and I have not seen an official statement from Jerusalem about what Israel has agreed to. All reporting I have seen so far is quoting someone from the US side of things saying, as you noted, that Israel has "more or less" agreed to a "framework" for a proposal. There is a lot of wiggle room there about what, when, who and how when that phrase "more or less" is used. That portion of the reporting from Al Jazeera matches what I saw from the AP, BBC and others a couple of days ago. I agree that I don't think the comments of VP Harris are correctly portrayed as a rebuke but in a landscape of dueling media using misleading reporting and headlines it is important to really analyze the words in the article in light of how things change from minute to minute sometimes with negotiations.

[flying_wahini]

7. If you think The Hill is not partisan have another read.

[NickB79]

8. Would you prefer CNN?

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/02/politics/us-says-israel-agree-ceasefire-hamas/index.html

Or the Associated Press?

https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-02-2024-531593c27931a2764357b6f7b11ce394

There's no way left to spin this: a ceasefire now is entirely up to Hamas.

[SoFlaBro]

2. Next up, Biden is going to weigh in on this goddamn shit going on in the Middle East. Ceasefire fucking talk.

[Calista241]

4. So, why turn over the hostages, when they can just stick it out for a week and get everything they want anyway? N/t

[twodogsbarking]

5. Best to stay away from two skunks fighting.

[maxsolomon]

6. Today's the day Biden promised a ceasefire in the "Ice Cream Interview".

Benni Ganz is in DC.

Netanyahu's demanding a list of living hostages in the Cairo negotiations. It's a new condition.

[NickB79]

9. A list of living hostages is entirely reasonable

If that's a bridge too far for Hamas, it's a reflection of how little Hamas wants a ceasefire.

[maxsolomon]

10. I guess the issue is that it's a new condition and Israel's refusing to talk without it.

That's per Democracy Now this morning.

It could be that Hamas Command and Control can't compile that list - they're too degraded from the IDF assault.

[NickB79]

11. Or the hostages are already dead

And Hamas doesn't want to admit it, because one of THEIR demands was the release of Palestinian prisoners.

[maxsolomon]

12. No doubt some are

but probably not all.

If there's an agreement and Hamas reneges because all the hostages are dead, then the ceasefire's off and the carnage resumes. They'll deliver something.