Biden criticizes Republicans for blocking the bill with aid for Israel and Gaza

President Biden on Tuesday criticized Republican lawmakers for their efforts to thwart bipartisan legislation that would overhaul the country's immigration system and, among other things, authorize billions of dollars in aid to Israel.

In a televised speech from the White Housesaid Mr. Biden that opposing the bill would deny military aid to Israel and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, who he emphasized are “really suffering and in urgent need of assistance.” In particular, he blasted former President Donald J. Trump, who lobbied Republicans to kill the bill to deny Mr. Biden a political victory, blaming him for helping create the gridlock in Congress .

Mr. Biden also suggested that the political impasse in Washington would hinder progress toward an agreement to release Israeli hostages.

He said there was “some movement” in negotiations with Hamas to release hostages taken during the brutal October 7 terrorist attack.

“There has been a reaction from the opposition,” he said, referring to Hamas, “but it seems a bit exaggerated.”

At about the same time Mr. Biden spoke, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken held a joint press conference in DohaQatar, with the Prime Minister of Qatar, where they announced that Hamas had responded to the latest offer of an agreement for a pause in the fighting in Gaza and an exchange of hostages and prisoners.

Senators from both parties have pushed the bill, which links a crackdown on illegal migration across the U.S. border with Mexico to providing emergency aid to Ukraine and Israel, but far-right Republicans have condemned the immigration restrictions as too weak. The proposal includes $14.1 billion in security assistance for Israel and $10 billion in humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza, the West Bank and Ukraine.

In a unusual letterA group of US ambassadors stationed in the Indo-Pacific region on Monday urged congressional leaders to consider the passage of legislation providing support to UkraineIsrael and its Pacific allies said America's credibility with its strategic partners was at stake.

Mr. Biden said on Tuesday that he would not consider supporting separate bills that addressed only military aid to Israel or Ukraine.

“I'm not going to admit that now,” he said. “We all need it. The rest of the world is watching us.”

Carl Hulse reporting contributed.