Biden to Netanyahu: Hamas to Blame for Ceasefire Ending

By Yoni Weiss

President Joe Biden spoke with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday night to express his “concern for the remaining hostages, and to note that it was Hamas’s refusal to release women civilian hostages that broke down the humanitarian pause.”

“We will continue to pursue every opportunity to free them,” said Biden.

Biden also told Netanyahu that he clarified what he said was the “importance of the continuous and sustained flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and my concern regarding extremist violence committed against Palestinians in the West Bank.

“I emphasized the critical need to protect civilians as Israel defends itself from Hamas,” he added.

The President also spoke Thursday with King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss the latest developments in Gaza. The President said that he reiterated to the King his “commitment to increasing the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.”

“We agreed we cannot stop working together towards a durable, sustainable peace in the Middle East,” he said.