Former Biden administration official Phil Gordon has challenged claims that a new book and media interviews by former US Middle East adviser Brett McGurk justify Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza.
In a post on X on Saturday, Gordon argued that McGurk’s account offered valuable insight into the Biden administration’s dealings with Israel but should not be treated as the definitive version of events or as a position shared by all former officials.
He said many of his former colleagues believed President Joe Biden should have applied greater pressure on Israel to change the conduct of its military campaign and bring the war to an end sooner.
Gordon also disputed the argument that Biden’s main mistake was allowing disagreements with Netanyahu to become public, saying few former administration officials shared that assessment.
Gordon Says US Pressure Could Have Changed Israel’s Approach
Gordon argued that McGurk’s account did not establish that Netanyahu had prioritised securing the release of Israeli hostages above other objectives during the war.
He pointed to the aftermath of an Israeli strike that killed World Central Kitchen aid workers in April 2024 as an example of Washington’s influence when it chose to exert pressure.
According to Gordon, Biden’s phone call with Netanyahu following the incident demonstrated that US intervention could produce changes in Israel’s conduct.
The former official used the episode to support his broader argument that Washington should have applied more sustained pressure rather than limiting its efforts to individual crises.
July 2024 Hostage Negotiations Become Central to Criticism
Gordon also highlighted a phone call between Biden and Netanyahu on July 4, 2024, which he said was missing from the account under discussion.
According to Gordon, Hamas had accepted the basic framework of a proposed hostage agreement, including dropping its demand that Israel commit to a permanent ceasefire before any hostages were released.
He alleged that Netanyahu subsequently introduced additional conditions despite objections from Israeli security chiefs, delaying an agreement for approximately six months.
Gordon argued that the changes made it more difficult to secure a deal at a time when efforts were already under way to bring hostages home and end the fighting.
His account represents Gordon’s interpretation of the negotiations and Netanyahu’s decisions during that period.
Disputed Conditions Delayed Agreement, Gordon Says
Among the additional Israeli demands cited by Gordon was the continued deployment of Israeli forces along Gaza’s entire border with Egypt. He noted that the Israeli military had taken control of the area after the initial proposal had been presented.
He also pointed to a proposed mechanism for screening Palestinians returning to northern Gaza, which he said would have required Israeli troops to remain in central parts of the territory.
Gordon said both conditions were ultimately removed from the agreement reached in January 2025.
He argued that the changes demonstrated how the negotiations had been complicated by demands that were later abandoned, questioning whether the delay could have been avoided.
Former Biden Official Criticises Netanyahu’s War Strategy
Beyond the hostage negotiations, Gordon offered a broader assessment of Netanyahu’s leadership during the conflict.
He argued that the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel took place while Netanyahu was prime minister and said the subsequent handling of the war had failed to deliver the security and political outcomes the Israeli government sought.
Gordon accused Netanyahu of placing the goal of “total victory” and the survival of his governing coalition ahead of reaching a hostage agreement or ending the conflict.
He also criticised Israel’s management of the humanitarian consequences of the war, describing the overall outcome as damaging to the country’s security and international standing.
These remarks reflect Gordon’s assessment of Netanyahu’s decisions and the consequences of the war.
US-Israel Relations Also at Centre of Gordon’s Concerns
Gordon argued that Israel’s conduct of the war had increased its international isolation and seriously damaged its relationship with the United States.
He said the Biden administration should have done more to influence Israeli policy rather than continuing to support Israel without applying greater pressure for changes.
The debate over Washington’s approach has involved questions about how the United States could support Israeli security while seeking to limit civilian suffering, secure the release of hostages and bring the conflict to an end.
Gordon maintained that disagreements within the former administration should not be reduced to a question of whether Biden should have publicly distanced himself from Netanyahu.
Gordon Says McGurk’s Account Does Not Settle the Debate
Gordon concluded that McGurk’s personal account could not be used as definitive proof that Netanyahu’s decisions during the war were justified.
He acknowledged the value of a firsthand perspective but stressed that former Biden administration officials held differing views about the US response and the degree of pressure Washington should have applied.
“There was never an easy way forward in Gaza,” Gordon wrote, arguing that the complexity of the conflict did not, in his view, vindicate Netanyahu’s handling of it.
His comments add to the continuing debate over the Biden administration’s policy towards Israel, the conduct of the Gaza war and the diplomatic choices made during the hostage negotiations.
