The President's Daily Brief - November 20th, 2023: Biden's Gaza Proposal, Hostage Hopes, & Hamas’ Hospital

Episode Date: November 20, 2023

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   President Biden shares his perspective on the future of Gaza amid the ongoing conflict, as detailed in his recent op-ed for the Washington Post, and we explore its impact on his approval ratings.   A potential breakthrough in the Israel-Hamas conflict: the sides seem close to agreeing on a deal to exchange hostages for a temporary cease-fire.   The Israeli Defense Forces reveal evidence of Hamas activities within the al-Shifa hospital. We examine the credibility and implications of these findings.   In the Back of the Brief segment, tensions rise between Australia and China. We delve into the recent incident where Australian divers were targeted by Chinese naval sonar pulses, raising concerns about escalating military confrontations.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.   Email: [e-mail]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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to release the hostages or some of the hostages, and we provide an update on the Israeli capture of Al-Sheifa Hospital. Finally, in the back of the brief, Australia and China, maybe on a collision course after the Chinese Navy targets Australian divers with sonar pulses. But first up, the PDB spotlight. Despite President Biden's flagging approval ratings, he doesn't appear ready to change course in Gaza just yet. In a recent Washington Post op-ed, President Biden reaffirmed his position that a temporary ceasefire in Gaza isn't a viable solution and emphasized that an outcome that would leave Hamas in control of the Palestinian enclave is unacceptable. President Biden, along with top U.S. officials, are now reviving discussions about working toward a two-state solution for governing Gaza that would put the Palestinian authority at the helm.

Biden wrote, quote, as we strive for peace, Gaza and the West Bank should be reunited under a single governance structure, ultimately under a revitalized Palestinian Authority as we all work toward a two-state solution, end quote. Now, as we've reported here on the PDB in recent weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already thrown cold water on the idea of the Palestinian Authority governing post-war Gaza. That stance is unlikely to change anytime soon, especially after this weekend's statement by the Palestinian Authority, the PA, in which they accused Israel of massacurring its own civilians on October 7th and fabricating evidence against Hamas to justify its attack on Gaza. Now, look, it's one thing for wild-eyed conspiracy theorists roaming through the

social media wasteland to claim that Israel massacred its own civilians in order to attack Hamas. Look, that's expected behavior from the tinfoil head crowd. But for the governing body of the West Bank to push the same narrative. Now, that's more disconcerting. The U.S. has been suggesting for weeks that the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, should take leadership in Gaza when the conflict ends. Now, Netanyahu, having already signaled Israel's objection to that idea, he noted that the PA hasn't even condemned the 7 October slaughter by Hamas. And if the PA decides that it's a good look to continue suggesting that Israel faked the 7 October massacre in order to justify targeting Hamas, well, that's probably not a pathway to a resolution

involving the PA. And adding to the complexity, as if the situation needed to be any more complex, President Biden has said his administration is planning to issue visa bans against Israelis. Now, the idea is, and this is a quote, he stated, I've been emphatic with Israel's leaders that extremist violence against Palestinians in the West Bank must stop, and those committing the violence must be held accountable. All right, this is a fair and pragmatic point being raised by the White House. Unequivocally supporting Israel and the IDF to deal with Hamas in the wake of 7 October, that's correct.

But the administration is also correct in calling out violence by settlers that does nothing but inflame passions in the West Bank against a long-term peace. Meanwhile, the ongoing war continues to eat away at President Biden's approval numbers. The latest national NBC news poll shows Biden's approval rating is currently at the lowest point of his presidency. It's only 40%. Notably, Biden's loss of support primarily comes from his base. Among Democrats, there's a growing belief that Israel's military actions in Gaza have been excessive, and this sentiment is particularly strong among young voters aged 18 to 30.

where a staggering 70% disapprove of Biden's handling of the war, and also where 100% have not had to deal with a direct threat of terrorism against them and their families. I made up that 100% number, but you get my point. Now, compounding the problem for Biden is the fact that for the first time he's trailing former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical general election matchup. This shift could intensify calls within an element of the Democratic Party for the president to step aside for a younger, possibly more progressive candidate to carry the Democrat banner in 2024. All right, when we come back, potential good news on the horizon for hundreds of Israelis held hostage by Hamas and an update on Israel's capture of Al-Shefa Hospital.

I'll be right back. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day, like superheroes and sidekicks, or auto and home insurance. With USAA, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a quote at usaa.com slash bundle. Restrictions apply. Welcome back. With every day that passes, hopes for the safe release of the hundreds of hostages currently being held by Hamas seem to fade just a little bit more.

However, today there's some long-awaited good news on that front as negotiations between Israel and Hamas appear to have reached a breakthrough. According to reports, talks are advancing towards a potential deal promising the release of numerous hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the freedom of Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails. According to the Washington Post, insiders claim that a tentative deal is in place. the deal proposes releasing a large group of women and children, while Hamas will receive a five-day halt in the conflict as part of the deal. Now, this deal was brokered with the help of Qatar, no surprise, as Qatar has been the central mediator throughout this conflict. According to the

Qatari government, only slight issues remain unresolved in the negotiations between Hamas and Israel, mostly practical and logistical. The situation remains tense for the hostages. Hamas alleges that up to 30 have been killed due to Israeli strikes in recent weeks. While that number has been impossible to verify, just this weekend the bodies of two female hostages were recovered by Israeli troops in Gaza. Now, so far, only four hostages have been returned in two separate releases since October 7th, while another was rescued. An estimated 239 individuals from 26 countries are reportedly still being held by Hamas

and Palestinian Islamic Shi'ihad. Among those still being held are at least nine Americans, including a three-year-old whose parents were murdered on the 7th of October. All right, I wanted to provide an update on the Israeli capture of El Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which has, over the past couple of weeks, become a focal point in this war. Palestinian authorities and humanitarian agencies continue to claim that the fighting around Al Shifa, the largest hospital in the Gaza Strip, is a clear sign that Israel has a disregard. for the lives of civilians. They're calling the hospital a, quote, death zone ever since it got caught up in the conflict. Now, on the flip side, Israel's been pointing fingers at Hamas saying they're using the hospital, as they do a variety of other civilian buildings and facilities, to house or shield, command centers, and weapon stockpiles. Back in October, they accused Hamas

of firing rockets and running military ops from bunkers underneath the hospital, which, reportedly, connect to a whole maze of Hamas built tunnels under Gaza City, known as the Gaza Metro. Now, since the IDF took control of Al-Sheifa last week, the IDF has made a concerted effort to show the world that Hamas has indeed been using the facility. I thought it would be useful to quickly run down some of the evidence that they've provided so far. First off, they've released a number of videos, and they've invited the press in to display the stash of guns, grenades, ammo and body armor that they found within the complex, much of which were discovered in the hospital's MRI unit. Adding to that, the Israeli Defense Forces, the IDF, dropped new footage

just yesterday that they say shows a Hamas tunnel right there at Al-Shefa, tucked away under a garage in the hospital complex. And in a disturbing turn, the IDF found the bodies of two of their own, including a young soldier right in the same neighborhood as the hospital, Israel's blaming Hamas, for killing the 19-year-old soldier inside Al-Sheifa's walls. The IDF has noted that they will be providing further evidence as they continue to clear the very large hospital compound and identify tunnel access points. The Israeli government knows that the bulk of international pressure

has been around the hospital fighting in recent days, and they understand that they need to be as transparent as possible in presenting evidence of their claims that Hamas operated within and underneath the hospital grounds. But they're also engaged in an ongoing military conflict, so while they understand the public relations impact of providing further evidence, they also need to continue clearing territory and facilities as they engage Hamas fighters. Okay, coming up in the back of the brief, this trouble brewing in the Far East, as Australia says its Navy divers were injured by the

Chinese Navy, and America says farewell to First Lady Rosalind Carter. I'll be right. right back. Comfort in, it's calling your name, save on the stay. Oh, and free waffles are yours to claim. Book direct at storeshiltails.com. In today's back of the brief, tension flares up between China and Australia with a group of Aussie Navy divers recovering from sonar pulse injuries, courtesy of a Chinese warship.

The incident unfolded last week in the international waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone. Australian divers were busy untangling nets from their ship's propellers when a Chinese destroyer entered the scene. Now, despite clear warnings from the Australian Navy about its divers below, the Chinese vessel acknowledged but then still closed in, cranking up its sonar. The divers had to bail out, likely with their ears ringing from the encounter. Now, for those wondering, sonar waves are serious business underwater. They pack a punch that could really ring a diver's bell. No pun intended. It could cause everything from ear ringing to hearing loss or worse, ear drum damage. It's serious business when sonar is at play. Australia is slamming the move as, quote,

unsafe and unprofessional, while China's keeping mum on the matter. This high-seas drama adds another layer to the already chilly relations between the two nations. They've been trying to mend a relationship that's been frosty for the past couple of years. And finally, I wanted to mention the passing a former first lady Rosalind Carter, wife of former President Jimmy Carter. She died yesterday afternoon at the age of 96. President Carter now aged 99 and Mrs. Carter married at 1946. Look, they were married for 77 years, which in itself is amazing. She and President Carter devoted their years after leaving the White House in 1981 to public service. She led a good and honorable life, as has her husband. Godspeed.

And finally also, I should mention that today is President Biden's 81st birthday, and he'll mark the day in part by continuing the annual tradition of the president pardoning a couple of Thanksgiving turkeys. Liberty and Bell, this year's lucky recipients of the White House pardon, have made their way to D.C. and we'll meet with Biden during a ceremony tomorrow, no word from the White House as to what they'll talk about. In case you're wondering, this tradition dates back to the link. administration. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Monday 20 November. If you have any questions or comments, reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com.

I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Ryan Reynolds here from MintMobil. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same premium wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities, so do like I did and have one of your assistants assistants to switch you to MintMobile today. I'm told it's super easy to do at mintmobile.com slash switch. Up front payment of $45 for three-month plan equivalent to $15 per month required. Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available.

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