President Biden, Do Not Negotiate With Terrorists

As the Biden administration races to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, it’s becoming painfully clear that Washington may have lost its moral compass. The urgency around negotiations—heightened by the tragic execution of American-Israeli hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin—underscores a troubling willingness to engage with a group whose existence is predicated on terror, violence, and the destruction of Israel. What the administration is calling diplomacy is, in reality, the legitimization of terrorism.

For months, the Biden administration has applied pressure on Israel, pushing for measures that have emboldened Hamas and endangered Israeli lives. By consistently advocating for cease-fires, prisoner swaps, and so-called “bridging agreements,” designed to placate both sides, the U.S. has inadvertently given Hamas the legitimacy it desperately seeks. Each time the U.S. nudges Israel toward concessions, Hamas’s violent strategy is vindicated. This isn’t merely a moral compromise; it’s a dangerous act that puts lives—particularly those of hostages still held in Gaza—at even greater risk.

A Fatal Miscalculation

The Biden administration’s insistence on forcing Israel into diplomacy has only strengthened Hamas’s position. Instead of weakening the terrorist organization, these efforts have served to validate their brutal tactics. As Hamas watches the world’s most powerful democracy treat it as a serious negotiating partner, the group’s status is elevated from a ruthless terrorist organization to a de facto political player. This is a disastrous and reckless outcome.

Evidence of this shift is clear: following the administration’s persistent diplomatic overtures, Hamas has grown bolder. Its leader, Yahya Sinwar, has shown little interest in making concessions, likely because he recognizes the leverage his group gains with every delay. Just weeks ago, Sinwar threatened to escalate the killings of hostages unless demands were met—yet the Biden administration continues to pressure Israel into talks. Instead of deterring Hamas, the administration’s actions have made the group feel invulnerable, knowing they can drag the U.S. to the negotiating table and extract concessions.

When the U.S. prioritizes diplomacy over the reality of dealing with terrorists, it undermines Israel’s fight for survival. Worse still, the more Hamas feels legitimized, the less incentive it has to release hostages. Every day of negotiation increases the political capital Hamas holds, reinforcing the twisted notion that hostage-taking and violence are effective tools for achieving its goals.

Negotiating with Terror is Not Diplomacy

On the surface, the Biden administration’s goal of bringing an end to the fighting in Gaza seems noble. But at what cost? Each time a U.S. official proposes a “bridging agreement” that involves prisoner swaps or concessions, Hamas is emboldened. The very act of negotiation grants this terrorist organization the political legitimacy it craves, sending a dangerous message: violence works. By rewarding bad behavior with diplomatic engagement, the administration guarantees more of it in the future—whether through kidnappings or fresh acts of terror.

We’ve seen this playbook before. After the Gilad Shalit deal in 2011, where over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for one Israeli soldier, it was only a matter of time before Hamas engaged in further kidnappings. By offering prisoners in exchange for hostages now, the U.S. is setting the stage for the next round of terror abductions. This is not diplomacy; this is capitulation. Rewarding hostage-taking with prisoner releases sets a perilous precedent. It all but guarantees future kidnappings, for if terrorists see that taking hostages brings tangible rewards, they’ll have every incentive to repeat the tactic.

The Biden administration might argue that securing the release of hostages is a top priority. And of course, the safe return of those held by Hamas is paramount. But at what cost? There is a point where the moral imperative to protect innocent lives conflicts with the long-term consequences of negotiating with terrorists. Hamas has made it abundantly clear that they are not interested in peace. They thrive on bloodshed and chaos, on the suffering of Israelis and Palestinians alike. Concessions to such a group do not lead to peace—they only strengthen the hand of terror.

Cease-Fire: A Dangerous Illusion

President Biden’s team presents cease-fires as a pathway to end the violence, but what happens when the fighting stops? Hamas has proven time and again that they use every lull in hostilities as an opportunity to regroup, rearm, and prepare for the next assault. A cease-fire isn’t a step toward peace; it’s merely an intermission in an ongoing war.

Even now, reports suggest that Hamas is continuing its efforts to smuggle weapons and build tunnels. Cease-fires and pauses in the fighting allow Hamas to regroup and strengthen its military capabilities. By demanding control over strategic locations like the Philadelphi corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border, Israel isn’t pursuing a tactical advantage; it’s attempting to choke off Hamas’s supply lines for smuggling weapons. How can the U.S. expect Israel to stand down while leaving Hamas with the means to launch future attacks? Any cease-fire that leaves Hamas intact is a temporary pause, not a solution.

The Survival of Israel Is Non-Negotiable

This isn’t just a policy disagreement—it’s a question of Israel’s survival. The Biden administration’s approach may be well-meaning, but it is deeply naïve. By sitting at the table with Hamas, Washington is playing with fire. Hamas is not interested in a two-state solution or in the prosperity of its own people. Its goal is, and always has been, the total destruction of Israel. Any negotiation that treats Hamas as a legitimate political actor is a betrayal of Israel’s security and an affront to the memory of the thousands who have already been slaughtered.

Israel is not engaged in a diplomatic dispute—it is fighting for its very existence against an enemy that will settle for nothing less than annihilation. The Biden administration must recognize this and stand unequivocally with Israel. Any deal that strengthens Hamas, prolongs the conflict, or legitimizes its methods is a deal that puts not just Israeli lives, but the stability of the entire Middle East at risk.

President Biden, do not negotiate with terrorists. The future of the region, and the moral clarity of American foreign policy, depends on it.