Full Breakdown
Former Biden Official Says Brett McGurk’s Book Does Not Vindicate Netanyahu’s Gaza War Conduct
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Former Biden administration official Phil Gordon used X/Twitter on Saturday to reject claims by supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the newly released memoir and interviews of former U.S. special envoy Brett McGurk validate Netanyahu’s conduct of the Gaza war. Gordon argued that McGurk’s “front-row account” is valuable but not definitive, and that most of Gordon’s former colleagues believe President Joe Biden should have applied more pressure on Israel to alter the war’s course.
Background & Context
McGurk’s book, released in early 2024, recounts his diplomatic efforts during the conflict that began on October 7. Gordon highlighted two episodes that, in his view, demonstrate the impact of U.S. pressure:
- The World Central Kitchen airstrike on April 2, 2024, after which Biden called Netanyahu; Gordon says that U.S. pressure “worked” to secure the release of some hostages.
- A July 4, 2024 phone call in which Biden urged Netanyahu to finalize a hostage-exchange framework after Hamas reportedly accepted the basic terms, dropping its demand for a permanent ceasefire.
Gordon contends that Netanyahu subsequently added conditions—such as retaining forces along Gaza’s entire border with Egypt and a new enforcement mechanism for Gazans returning north—that stalled the deal for another six months.
Official Statements & Responses
Gordon’s post emphasized three main points:
1. U.S. leverage matters – He maintains that Biden’s direct contacts, including the post-WCK call, produced tangible results, and that stronger, earlier pressure could have shortened the war.
2. Netanyahu’s priorities – Gordon accuses Netanyahu of favoring “total victory” and coalition politics over a hostage deal or an early end to hostilities, arguing this approach left Israel “more isolated and insecure.”
Data & Statistics
- Gordon estimates that the six-month stall after the July 4 call resulted in nearly 9,000 additional Palestinian deaths and the execution of six Israeli hostages by Hamas in August.
- He notes that the contentious conditions he identified were ultimately removed from the cease-fire agreement reached in 2025, suggesting that U.S. pressure eventually shaped the final terms.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Netanyahu supporters seem to be taking advantage of Brett McGurk’s book and interviews to claim vindication for Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza,” — Phil Gordon, biden administration official
- “I would say most of my former colleagues think that president (Joe) Biden should have put more pressure on Israel to conduct the war differently and end it sooner,” — Phil Gordon, biden administration official
- “Hamas had finally accepted the basic framework, dropping its demand that Israel commit to a permanent ceasefire before any hostages were released,” — Phil Gordon, biden administration official