Former Biden Aide: Netanyahu Scuttled July 2024 Hostage Deal

Phil Gordon, a former senior official in the Biden administration, claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thwarted a hostage deal in July 2024 and prolonged the war by six months, news outlet Walla and The Jerusalem Post reported.

According to Gordon, who posted on X, Netanyahu introduced new conditions contrary to the advice of Israeli security chiefs, delaying an agreement. He also wrote that most of his former colleagues believed US President Joe Biden should have exerted more pressure on Israel to conduct the war differently and bring it to an earlier end.

Gordon also rejected attempts by Netanyahu supporters to cite Brett McGurk's new book as justification for the prime minister's conduct during the war in the Gaza Strip. An official response from the Prime Minister's Office has not yet been released.