Biden Criticizes Netanyahu Over Gaza Hostage Negotiations

President Biden criticized Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for insufficient efforts in securing a deal to release hostages held by Hamas. The U.S. is close to presenting a proposal for a hostage and ceasefire agreement. Biden's remarks drew sharp responses from both Israeli and Hamas officials.

President Joe Biden criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday for not doing enough to secure a deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The U.S. is close to presenting a final proposal to negotiators working on a hostage and ceasefire agreement, Biden said at the White House.

Biden's comments came after Israeli forces recovered the bodies of six hostages from a tunnel in Gaza, escalating criticism of the Biden administration's Gaza ceasefire strategy. When asked if Netanyahu was putting in enough effort, Biden replied, "No." His remarks prompted a sharp reaction from senior Israeli officials.

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri interpreted Biden's criticism as an American acknowledgment of Netanyahu's role in undermining a deal. Israeli protesters continued to pressure the government for a resolution, and Biden and Harris met with negotiators to discuss progress towards an agreement. Stop-start negotiations mediated by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt have yet to yield a concrete result.

(With inputs from agencies.)