Book Reveals Fierce 2024 Phone Calls Between Biden and Netanyahu Over Gaza
A new book by former US official Brett McGurk reveals tense 2024 phone calls between Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu over civilian casualties, aid, and the Gaza war.
Former US President Joe Biden fiercely confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an April 2024 phone call, demanding an end to the Gaza war and expressing deep frustration over civilian casualties, according to a new book by former White House Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk.
The Brink of Crisis
McGurk's book, "On the Brink: Behind the Race to Free the October 7 Hostages," details the tense diplomatic friction following the April 1 Israeli strike in Damascus and the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers. Biden challenged Netanyahu sharply, warning that the US could halt military assistance if Israel failed to shift strategy.
"You think I'm Santa Claus? There is no Santa in Israel, friend," Biden reportedly told Netanyahu, adding that military support could be cut off with the snap of a finger.
Intercepting the Iranian Attack
Days before Iran launched its unprecedented drone and missile barrage against Israel in April 2024, tensions remained at a boiling point. After US and allied forces successfully intercepted the aerial assault, Biden emphasized that Washington had saved Israel from severe escalation, while Netanyahu stressed the historic nature of the joint defense coalition.
McGurk's book also highlights turbulent negotiations over the hostages, recounting a heated February 2024 exchange in Cairo between former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel regarding pressure on Hamas.
