Hamas rejection preceded Security Council vote, US says, blasting PM for ‘playing politics’

The US says Hamas’s rejection of the latest hostage deal offer was issued before yesterday’s UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and hostage deal that Washington allowed to pass.

Blasting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office for claiming that the adopted Security Council resolution led Hamas to harden its stance in the talks, a senior Biden administration official tells The Times of Israel, “This statement is inaccurate in almost every respect and unfair to the hostages and their families.”

“The description of the Hamas response reflects news reports and not the actual substance of that response, which was prepared before the UN vote even took place,” the official says.

“We will not play politics with this most important and difficult issue, and we will remain focused on a deal to free the remaining hostages,” the official adds.