Former senior Obama administration officials criticized former US President Joe Biden's policies toward Gaza in a foreign policy podcast on Thursday, sparking a backlash on social media.

Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor, two former senior Obama administration officials, host the foreign policy podcast "Pod Save the World."

According to a video clip from the podcast published by DropSite News, Rhodes, who served as deputy national security adviser, says, "Israel doesn't want the war to end... If they were ready to end the war, they would have freed the hostages. The idea that they need to continue fighting the war against Hamas in Gaza—sorry, there's no security need for that. You're just talking about an already traumatized population, including many wounded, being bombed into tents with no food or medicine." Vietor, a former National Security Council spokesman, then said, "What an absolutely shameful policy the Biden administration has had toward Gaza... His loyalty to Netanyahu has blinded him to the carnage, the complete immorality of this policy, and the complicity of the United States in it."

Excerpts from the podcast have been generating interest on social media this week, with many saying these former US administration officials only speak out when it's "too late."

Many on social media reacted angrily to the podcast excerpts, saying that thousands of people spoke about Israeli atrocities and "the real reasons why Israel doesn't want to end the war."

Social media users also pointed out the hypocrisy of these former US administration officials who have long been "pro-Zionist" but are now speaking out.

It's worth noting that in early January, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised to continue Israel's war on Gaza, partly as an attempt to prevent far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from leaving his coalition. Netanyahu also faces voter anger and pending corruption cases against him once the war in Gaza ends.

Israel also unilaterally violated the ceasefire in Gaza on March 18 after refusing to move to the second stage, which would have ensured the release of all remaining prisoners. Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected Hamas's offers to release them.

Many argued that if the Netanyahu government had truly prioritized the return of the hostages, an agreement could have been reached long ago. But that would mean ending the war, and without it, Netanyahu's coalition would have collapsed.

The ceasefire in Gaza has effectively collapsed as it moved from a single phase focused on the release of Israeli prisoners, which was politically acceptable in Israel, to the more complex question of who would govern the Gaza Strip.

An investigative report broadcast by Israel's Channel 13 alleged that the Biden administration knowingly allowed the Israeli military campaign in Gaza to continue beyond any specific strategic objective. According to the report, senior US officials privately acknowledged that the offensive had devolved into "killing and destroying for the sake of killing and destroying." The investigation also alleges that the United States was complicit in political interference, diplomatic obfuscation, and obstruction of peace efforts. DropSite News published translations of the findings on social media.