President Joe Biden has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that Netanyahu is not doing enough to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Biden’s comments came as he returned to the White House to meet with officials working on a deal that pairs hostage release with a ceasefire in Gaza. Vice President Kamala Harris also attended the meeting before joining Biden at a campaign event in Pittsburgh.

The urgency of the negotiations increased over the weekend with the discovery of six hostages’ bodies, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, in a tunnel in southern Gaza. The killings have sparked outrage in Israel, leading to large-scale protests and a nationwide strike demanding Netanyahu prioritize a deal to secure the hostages’ release.

Responding to questions about Netanyahu’s efforts, Biden bluntly answered, “No,” indicating frustration with the Israeli leader’s handling of the talks. A senior Israeli official criticized Biden’s remarks, accusing the U.S. president of unfairly pressuring Netanyahu while Hamas continues to oppose any agreement.

Biden maintained that Hamas bears responsibility for the killings but urged Israel to act swiftly in securing the release of remaining hostages. The president indicated he is close to presenting a final proposal, highlighting ongoing negotiations involving Qatar and Egypt.

Netanyahu, however, blamed Hamas for stalling the ceasefire talks, asserting that Israel has shown “seriousness” in negotiations and that it is now Hamas’ turn to make concessions. He emphasized that international pressure should focus on Hamas, not Israel.

Negotiations face further complications over Israel’s insistence on maintaining a military presence in the Philadelphi corridor, a stance that contradicts U.S. expectations for a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza under any ceasefire agreement.