REPORT | Former State Department spokesman Matt Miller recalled Secretary of State Blinken warning Israel’s war cabinet, early in the war, Israel risked endless insurgency without a plan for Gaza’s future. Netanyahu reportedly replied: “You’re right. We are going to be fighting this war for decades to come.”
A new Channel 13 exposé features former U.S. officials admitting Netanyahu repeatedly derailed ceasefire and captive release agreements. They say Washington considered publicly blaming him, but feared Hamas would harden its stance if U.S.–Israel divisions appeared.
KEY DETAILS:
➤ U.S. frustration with Netanyahu — State spokesperson Matthew Miller said the Biden administration wanted to declare Netanyahu “completely intransigent” but held back, worrying Hamas would pull away from talks.
➤ Sabotage during Rafah talks — In April 2024, while the U.S. pushed Hamas to accept a six-week ceasefire to prevent Israel’s Rafah invasion, Netanyahu publicly vowed to attack Rafah “whether there was a ceasefire or not,” undermining leverage.
➤ ‘Boxing in’ the prime minister — In May 2024, Biden revealed details of a hostage deal hours after Netanyahu signed off, aiming to lock him in. Miller said Israel then leaked claims that Biden’s plan didn’t match what Netanyahu had agreed.
➤ The Philadelphi Corridor demand — By July 2024, Hamas had responded positively to a U.S.-brokered proposal. Israel delayed nearly a month, with Netanyahu suddenly demanding troops remain along Gaza’s border with Egypt. U.S. officials called this the most damaging shift, killing momentum for a deal.
➤ ‘Waiting for Trump’ — Hamakor reported another major delay in late 2024, when Netanyahu shelved a Shin Bet breakthrough proposal to stall until Donald Trump returned to the White House.
➤ “Fighting for decades” — Matthew Miller told Hamakor that Blinken, early in the war, warned Israel’s war cabinet: without a “day after” plan, they would be stuck in an insurgency in Gaza, instability in the West Bank, and blocked from normalization with Arab states. According to Miller, Netanyahu responded: “You’re right. We are going to be fighting this war for decades to come. That’s the way it’s been. That’s the way it’s going to be.” Netanyahu has long claimed Hamas was the sole obstacle in hostage negotiations.
The Channel 13 report shows U.S. officials privately saw the opposite — that Netanyahu repeatedly added new conditions, delaying agreements even as captives’ lives were at stake.