Biden aide McGurk says Washington had no warning of Oct. 7, reveals how war shook White House
McGurk told the Post that, in one meeting with the families of the hostages, "One woman left the screen, and when she came back, she learned that her loved one was actually confirmed dead.”
On the morning of October 7, 2023, Brett McGurk, former White House coordinator for the Middle East, entered the Oval Office and immediately sensed that something unprecedented was unfolding. Former President Joe Biden appeared pale and expressed that this was the last thing he had anticipated. McGurk recounted these events in his book, Brink, detailing the White House's response to the October 7 crisis.
Earlier that day, October 6, McGurk had been working on a significant diplomatic goal: an Israel-Saudi Arabia normalization agreement. The administration aimed to finalize this deal by the end of the year. However, the situation changed abruptly when rockets were launched from Gaza. Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Mike Herzog, informed McGurk that a state of war had commenced.
The American intelligence community did not receive any warnings or indicators of the impending attack. They subsequently reviewed their intelligence and confirmed that no warnings had been issued. However, this does not negate the need for an investigation. McGurk emphasized that whenever such a scale of crisis occurs, there should always be a review of the system to ensure that information is effectively communicated and acted upon.
As the crisis unfolded, McGurk's role shifted from diplomatic negotiations to hostage rescue. He worked with CIA Director William Burns and negotiators from Israel, Egypt, and Qatar. The initial estimates of the number of hostages varied, but the talks eventually resulted in the release of 20 hostages. Despite Israel's initial insistence on a larger number, negotiations eventually succeeded in securing the release of some hostages.
One of the most poignant moments in McGurk's account was a meeting with families of missing Americans and hostages in the Oval Office. The emotional impact was profound, with a woman wailing into the Oval Office as she learned that her loved one had been killed. Biden, who had previously negotiated hostage deals with Iran, shared his empathy for the situation but emphasized the difficulty of such diplomatic endeavors.
The negotiations for the remaining hostages were challenging, with Israel insisting on a minimum of 50 guaranteed hostages. Eventually, the negotiations led to the release of the first hostages on November 24, 2023, followed by an eight-day ceasefire. However, Hamas refused to release the younger women, who were among the most vulnerable hostages. Despite the cease-fire, Israel maintained their stance, prioritizing the safety of these women. The war continued to unfold, with the hostages gradually returning home.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
