Biden administration denies holding intel on Hamas leaders' locations

The United States has denied withholding information to leverage against Israel and force it to cancel operations in Rafah.

 US President Joe Biden (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) (photo credit: FLASH90)
US President Joe Biden (left) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right)
(photo credit: FLASH90)

While the White House recently leveraged intelligence information in hopes of stalling an IDF operation in Rafah,  it has now begun denying withholding information from its ally, the New York Post reported on Monday. 

The initial report that the US attempted to leverage information came from four anonymous sources speaking to the Washington Post.

According to the Post, the information offered by the US includes details regarding the whereabouts of Hamas leaders and the terror group's tunnels. 

In addition, the proposition reportedly involved the supply of shelters for the Palestinians of the Strip and US aid in building delivery mechanisms to provide water, food, and medicine for Gazans. 

“We’re not holding anything back,’’ a US representative insisted. “We believe [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar should and indeed must be held accountable for the horrors of the October 7 attack.”

 Yahya Sinwar (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)
Yahya Sinwar (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)

Promises of security, a firm alliance

National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications John Kirby told reporters last week, “We have a long, long and solid relationship on the counterterrorism front with Israel, which includes intelligence-sharing and includes operational lessons learned and other means of cooperation.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed the same stance, telling CBS' Face the Nation on Sunday that “We have the same objective as Israel. We want to make sure that Hamas cannot govern Gaza again.”  

An unhappy partnership

The strength of US-Israel ties has been repeatedly called into question as Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu butted heads.

Biden, while angry at Netanyahu, has called him an "as***le" in private conversations due to military disagreements over the Gaza war, NBC reported back in February. 

Additional reports also claimed Biden described the Israeli leader as a “bad f***ing guy.” 


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More recently, the United States has delayed weapons and aid shipments to Israel.