On January 15, President Joe Biden announced that Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire deal, which came into effect on January 19. The agreement resembles the plan laid out by the Biden administration in May, 2023 and endorsed by the UN Security Council.
The agreement provides for three phases, the first of which began on January 19. In this six-week phase, a cessation of hostilities begins, Hamas commits to release 33 Israeli hostages in stages, and Israel agrees to release certain Palestinian prisoners. In addition, Palestinians are allowed to return to their homes in Gaza, Israel will commence a gradual withdrawal from certain parts of the Strip, and humanitarian aid is intended to surge into Gaza. During this phase, a permanent ceasefire will be negotiated, as will the release of the remaining Israeli hostages.
As Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on January 15, “Phase one is really just a stabilization and recovery before you can even get to reconstruction.” Miller added that the Biden administration is hopeful that the Trump administration will push to end the war permanently and praised the “absolutely critical” role that Trump’s team played in the most recent negotiations. On January 16, Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that the immediate imperatives are to fully implement the ceasefire and to finalize a plan for Gaza’s transitional governance, security, and reconstruction.
Secretary Blinken’s comments followed his remarks earlier in the week in an address at the Atlantic Council. He laid out the Biden administration’s view that the Palestinian Authority (PA) “should invite international partners to help establish and run an interim administration with responsibility for key civil sectors in Gaza like banking, water, energy, health, civil coordination with Israel.” Blinken also encouraged the establishment of an interim security mission to create a secure environment for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts, eventually giving way to a PA-led security force. Blinken also offered some of his strongest public pressure on Israel to date. He stated that “Israel will have to accept reuniting Gaza and the West Bank under the leadership of a reformed PA,” which he said the Israeli government has “systematically undermined.” Blinken also condemned Israel for “expanding official settlements and nationalizing land at a faster clip than any time in the last decade while turning a blind eye to an unprecedented growth in illegal outposts.”
President Biden echoed some of these sentiments in an interview with MSNBC on January 16. Biden stated that Israel must accommodate the “legitimate concerns” of Palestinians “who have no place to live independently” and said that he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to “carpet bomb” Palestinians in Gaza.
Regarding congressional reaction to the ceasefire, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) praised the announcement, crediting President Trump, and called for continued US support for Israel and the release of the remaining hostages, in particular American citizens. SFRC Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed the news and stressed the importance of increasing humanitarian aid, rebuilding Gaza, and a path to a two-state solution. House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL) and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY) also welcomed the ceasefire. Mast stated, “We don’t trust Hamas. We trust that President Trump has put the fear of God into Hamas.” Meeks called for Gaza’s reconstruction and progress toward a two-state solution.
Also Happening in Washington Last Week…
I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
House Bill Targets Corruption in Iran. On January 13, Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN) and Josh Gottheimer (D-NY) introduced H.R.348, which would direct the Department of the Treasury, the Department of State, and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a list of Iranian oligarchs and entities accused of “profiting off the Iranian people.”
Senate Bills Seek Sanctions and FTO Designation for Houthis. On January 13, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced S.70, which would designate the Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and impose additional sanctions on the Houthis’ top three leaders. On January 16, SFRC Chairman Risch introduced S.145, which would require the redesignation of the Houthis as an FTO.
House Bill Would Prohibit Contributions to UN Human Rights Council. On January 14, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced H.R.400, which would block US funding from being directed to the UN Human Rights Council. In a statement, Rep. Roy criticized the council’s resolutions on Israel.
House and Senate Bills Seek to Prevent Iranian Companies from Receiving Tax Credit. On January 16, Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Jared Golden (D-ME), and Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) reintroduced legislation to prohibit companies based in Iran and their subsidiaries from benefiting from green energy production tax credits.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
Letter to Trump Requests Immediate Nomination of Abraham Accords Envoy. On January 16, Rep. Michael Lawler (R-NY) led 45 lawmakers in a letter to President-elect Trump, requesting that he immediately nominate a Presidential Envoy for the Abraham Accords.
3) Hearings and Briefings
Senate Holds Hearing for Secretary of State Nomination. On January 15, SFRC held a full committee nomination hearing for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to be Secretary of State. Rubio stated that the Trump administration would be open to a new nuclear deal with Iran under certain conditions. On Israel, Rubio supported expanding the Abraham Accords, and stated that the Trump administration would end the Biden administration’s sanctions program on extremist Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Additionally, Rubio reiterated his criticism of the International Criminal Court, and expressed his view that the US government should revoke visas of foreign individuals in the United States who support Hamas. On Syria, Rubio stressed the importance of preventing the resurgence of the so-called Islamic State and Russian and Iranian influence. He also called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan an “impediment” and said the Trump administration would warn Erdoğan not to move against the Kurds in Syria. On January 20, Rubio was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 99-0.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Harris Reaffirms US-Bahrain Partnership. On January 10, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa about bilateral cooperation.
Biden Administration Urges Senate to Ratify 2022 US-UAE Legal Aid Treaty. On January 14, the Biden administration sent a message to the Senate regarding a February 2022 mutual legal assistance treaty between the United States and the United Arab Emirates that provides for cooperation in criminal matters, urging the Senate to consider and consent to the treaty.
Biden Celebrates His Foreign Policy Legacy in Farewell Address. On January 14, President Biden delivered an address at the Department of State in which he celebrated his administration’s foreign policy achievements. Biden called for continued pressure on Iran, for the incoming Trump administration to prevent the resurgence of the so-called Islamic State in Syria, and for the United States to oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Biden Extends National Emergency with Respect to the West Bank. On January 14, President Biden notified Congress of his decision to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14115 with respect to the situation in the West Bank, which created a sanctions program focused on persons and entities undermining peace and security. Biden highlighted ongoing extremist settler violence, forced displacement of Palestinians, and property destruction, all of which he said “has reached intolerable levels.”
Biden Issues Amended Order for Continued Sanctions Relating to Syria. On January 15, the White House announced amendments to Executive Order 13894, initially declared in 2019, to address the situation in Syria. The amended order allows for continued sanctions on “any person determined to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, or attempted to engage in actions or policies that further threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of Syria” or “the commission of serious human rights abuses.”
Harris Speaks with King of Jordan. On January 16, Vice President Harris spoke with Jordanian King Abdullah II to discuss the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
2) Department of State
Blinken Speaks with Omani Foreign Minister. On January 10, Secretary Blinken spoke with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi about the election of President Joseph Aoun in Lebanon, ceasefire talks in Gaza, Houthi threats, and US support for a Syrian-led political transition.
Blinken Says Keeping US Presence in Syria Important. On January 13, Secretary Blinken said that the US role in helping to guide Syria toward a transition is “essential.” Blinken said that means “keeping some [US] presence, but it also means being very engaged in all of the efforts to help support a Syrian-owned, Syrian-led transition.” Blinken added that continued cooperation with Kurds, the Syrian Defense Forces (sic), and Turkey will remain important.
Blinken Speaks with Egyptian Foreign Minister. On January 16, Secretary Blinken spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty. Blinken thanked Egypt for its role as mediator in the ceasefire deal in Gaza, and discussed cooperation with Egypt on Sudan.
Department Issues Limited Sanctions Waiver Relating to Syria. On January 18, media reported that Secretary Blinken recently informed Congress of a limited sanctions waiver relating to Syria’s State Sponsor of Terrorism Designation. The waiver will allow for continued US assistance to certain foreign governments, including a number of Arab governments, that support the transitional government in Syria.
3) Department of Defense
CENTCOM Commander Visits Region. On January 12-13, CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla met in Egypt with Egyptian military officials to discuss the US-Egypt military partnership. On January 13, Gen. Kurilla traveled to Lebanon for meetings with newly elected president Aoun to discuss US support for the Lebanese Armed Forces and the ceasefire agreement with Israel. On January 15, Kurilla traveled to Iraq to meet with Iraqi military leaders to discuss issues relating to the Defeat-ISIS campaign. On January 16, Kurilla traveled to Syria, where he met with members of the Syrian Democratic Forces to discuss efforts to prevent the resurgence of the so-called Islamic State and to visit the al-Hol detention camp housing IS members and their families.
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Sanctions Sudan’s al-Burhan. On January 16, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, along with a company and an individual allegedly involved in procuring weapons for the SAF. Sens. Risch and Shaheen jointly welcomed the move in a statement on January 17.
Treasury Announces New Sanctions Targeting Houthis. On January 17, OFAC sanctioned a Yemen-based bank for financial support of the Houthis and aiding the group to transfer funds to Lebanese Hezbollah.
5) United States Agency for International Development
Administrator Power Addresses Gaza and Sudan in Exit Interview. In an interview with Politico published on January 19, USAID Administrator Samantha Power said she “wish[ed] we could have ended the war in Gaza far sooner, and certainly done more to bring more hostages home sooner and done more to end this the hell that the people of Gaza have experienced [sic].” On Sudan, Power explained why the Biden administration waited until its final days to make a genocide determination and deploy sanctions on the warring parties, saying that “there was an effort to lead with diplomacy and to have the specter of these sanctions and these determinations to try to motivate the parties to do the thing that really matters most, which is end this war and let humanitarian aid flow.”
