Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz (not pictured) in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv , Israel , 28 October 2023. Photo: ABIR SULTAN POOL/Pool via REUTERS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hit back at US President Joe Biden after the American leader claimed he has not worked hard enough to secure a ceasefire and hostage deal between the Jewish state and the Hamas terrorist group.

Netanyahu spoke to reporters on Monday, insisting that he has worked tirelessly to achieve an end to the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages from the clutches of Hamas, which kidnapped the captives during the terrorist group’s Oct. 7 onslaught across southern Israel.

“I want to set the record straight,” Netanyahu said. “On April 27, [US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken] said that Israel has made an extraordinarily generous offer for a hostage deal. On May 31, Israel agreed to a US-backed proposal. Hamas refused. On Aug. 16, Israel agreed to what the US defined as a final bridging proposal. Hamas refused again. On Aug. 19, Secretary Blinken said, ‘Israel accepted the US proposal; now Hamas must do the same.’ On Aug. 28 — that’s five days ago, five days ago — [Deputy CIA Director David Cohen] said that ‘Israel shows seriousness in the negotiations. Now Hamas must show the same seriousness.'”

Netanyahu’s comments came after the bodies of six Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas-led Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7 were found over the weekend in a tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Hamas terrorists had executed them prior to a raid by Israeli forces. One of the murdered hostages, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was an American-Israeli dual citizen.

The Israeli prime minister urged world leaders to maintain maximum pressure on Hamas or risk emboldening the terrorist group to continue fighting and committing atrocities.

“I want to ask you something: What has changed in the last five days? What has changed?” Netanyahu asked. “One thing: These murderers executed six of our hostages. They shot them in the back of the head. That’s what’s changed. And now? After seeing this, we’re asked to show seriousness? We’re asked to make concessions? What message does this send to Hamas? It says: Kill more hostages, murder more hostages, you’ll get more concessions.”

Netanyahu argued that the international community should direct its outrage at Hamas and that anyone “serious about achieving peace” should grant Israel maximum support to help diminish the terrorist group’s leverage. 

“The pressure internationally must be directed at those killers. At Hamas, not at Israel. We say yes; they say no all the time,” Netanyahu added. “But they also murdered these people, and now we need maximum pressure on Hamas. I don’t believe that either President Biden or anyone serious about achieving peace, achieving the release [of hostages], would seriously ask Israel, Israel to make these concessions. We’ve already made them. Hamas has to make the concessions.”

The Israeli prime minister has been under immense pressure to finalize a ceasefire with Hamas to end the fighting in Gaza and secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza — about one-third of whom have already been declared dead. The pressure mounted after the six hostages were murdered, which led large crowds of Israelis to flood the streets in outrage and protest in support of a deal to secure the release of the hostages.

Netanyahu’s comments appeared to be a direct response to Biden claiming earlier in the day that the Israeli premier was not doing enough to try and reach a ceasefire. Biden was taking questions from the press on the South Lawn of the White House when a reporter asked, “Mr. President, do you think it’s time for Prime Minister Netanyahu to do more on this issue? Do you think he is doing enough?”

Biden responded flatly, “No.”

However, Biden insisted that “we’re very close” to achieving a final agreement, adding that he will continue “to push” for the release of the remaining American hostages in Gaza. 

“Yes. I have spoken to the American hostage … I spoke to his mom and dad, and we are not giving up. We are going to continue to push as hard as we can. Thank you,” Biden told reporters on Monday. 

In November, more than 100 hostages were released as part of a week-long truce between Israel and Hamas. Since then, the US, Egypt, and Qatar have attempted to broker a more enduring ceasefire. Hamas has repeatedly rejected proposals accepted by Israel.

Israeli officials have said they believe 101 hostages remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.