On Tuesday, Hamas directly criticized President Joe Biden, saying his comments that the militant group is "backing away" from a cease-fire deal in the Gaza Strip caused "great astonishment and disapproval" and demonstrated "blind bias" toward Israel.
The unusually direct comments cast doubt on the prospects of a near-term agreement, which the Biden administration said last week it hoped to conclude in the coming days. The criticism also came as the Israeli military recovered the bodies of six more hostages from southern Gaza, and as the enclave's civil defense force said at least 12 people were killed in a strike on a school in Gaza City. Israel accused Hamas militants of using the school as a "command and control center."
The row between Hamas and Biden comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shuttled between Israel, Egypt and Qatar on Tuesday on a mission to pressure all sides to conclude a deal. The proposal sponsored by the United States includes a six-week cease-fire, the release of scores of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from major population centers in Gaza.
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