Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of U.S.-Israeli captive Sagui Dekel-Chen, is denying a report in NBC News on Wednesday that families of Americans held hostage by Hamas in Gaza are urging the White House to cut a unilateral deal with the terrorist group.
Sagui Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault in southern Israel. His father told Channel 12 that the report is false.
“I am in continuous contact with the other American families and all levels of the U.S. government. There is nothing behind this report,” Jonathan Dekel-Chen said.
“The report that the American families are demanding a separate U.S.-Hamas is not correct. I do not know where this report has come from. I am inside the room [for these meetings] and anything else is speculation,” he continued.
Citing five people familiar with the discussions, NBC News reported that the relatives urged the administration to consider options for an agreement that do not include Israel, speaking during a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan shortly after the IDF recovered the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in Rafah, including American dual citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Administration officials reportedly told them they would explore “every option” but that they believe that a deal with Hamas that includes Israel is the best approach.
The U.S. believes that there are four American hostages held by Hamas who are still alive. They are Edan Alexander, Sagui Dekel-Chen, Omer Neutra and Keith Siegel.
Three other U.S. hostages are believed to have been killed that day, with their remains being held by Hamas. America wants to recover their bodies as well.
NBC News reported in June that the Biden administration had talked about negotiating a unilateral deal for the release of American hostages.
The talks would take place via Qatari mediators, two current senior U.S. officials and two former ones told NBC at the time.
According to Wednesday’s NBC report, an administration official said that a unilateral deal with Hamas is unrealistic because Israel has the terrorists in prison that Hamas wants to be released, among other things that the U.S. cannot provide.
“We have considered all possible options to free the hostages and bring them home to their families. Because of Hamas’s demands, there has not been a formal offer for a side deal made, because no such deal is possible,” the official said.
“Hamas wants two things that only Israel can deliver: a ceasefire and nearly 1,000 Palestinian prisoners currently in Israeli jails. Every other proposal has gone nowhere because that is what Hamas demands for the hostages,” the official added.
“President Biden and the rest of the U.S. government remain fully committed to returning the hostages, including Americans, to their families. And we continue to work, day and night, to complete the ceasefire and hostage release deal that is under discussion.”