Biden says Netanyahu not doing enough to secure deal with terrorists

President Biden said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not doing enough to reach a hostage deal with Hamas terrorists.

Biden made the remarks to reporters before heading to the Situation Room, where he and Vice President Harris are meeting with a team negotiating a hostage deal following the killing of 23-year-old Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages by Hamas on Saturday.

On the South Lawn of the White House, where Biden disembarked from Marine One on his return from his vacation home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, a reporter asked: “Mr. President, do you think it’s time for Prime Minister Netanyahu to do more on this issue? Do you think he’s doing enough?”

“No,” the president replied categorically.

FATHER OF ISRAELI-AMERICAN HOSTAGE URGES DEAL 'WITH SATAN' BEFORE BIDEN, HARRIS ENTER CONFERENCE ROOM

President Biden speaks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Washington, after returning from Rehoboth Beach, Del. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Asked why he thinks this deal will succeed when other proposals have failed, Biden said, “Hope springs eternal.” The president said “we are very close” to delivering a final hostage deal. He told reporters he would travel to Pittsburgh later in the day for a national security meeting.

“Yes. I spoke to the American hostage… I spoke to his mother and his father, and we are not giving up. We will continue to do everything we can. Thank you,” Biden said.

Earlier Monday, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of an Israeli-American hostage still being held by Hamas, called for the United States and Israel to negotiate a deal “with Satan.”

Netanyahu deplores the death of six hostages found in Gaza and promises to “settle scores” with Hamas

President Joe Biden walks from Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Washington, after returning from Rehoboth Beach, Del. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Dekel-Chen, appearing on “Fox & Friends,” acknowledged that the The United States with Qatar and Egypt are trying to broker a deal between Israel and “a savage terrorist organization,” but have insisted that Israeli intelligence shows Hamas' forces are exhausted at this point.

President Biden speaks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Washington, after returning from Rehoboth Beach, Del. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

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He said Netanyahu could no longer offer “an excuse not to conclude this agreement” to repatriate the remaining 101 hostages, including seven Americans, taken to Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Israel saw a massive labor strike on Monday after protesters took to the streets en masse on Sunday to protest the failure of Israeli leaders to reach a deal to free the hostages 11 months into the war.