U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his disapproval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategies regarding Gaza, labelling them as a “mistake.”
During an interview, Biden emphasized his disagreement with Netanyahu’s current approach and called for unconditional access to essential supplies like food and medicine for Gaza over the coming six to eight weeks.
This statement followed Biden’s prior caution that the continued U.S. support for the conflict hinges on Israel’s facilitation of more significant aid influxes, including food and medicine, into Gaza.
Despite Israel’s refutation of claims that it’s obstructing aid entry or distribution within Gaza and its accusations against UN agencies for not adequately delivering the permitted aid to those in need, the push for a ceasefire has been intensified by mounting international pressure, although talks have yet to yield an agreement.
The context of Biden’s remarks was an hour-long interview conducted last Wednesday, shortly after an incident where Israeli military strikes resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, described by Biden as “outrageous.”
This incident involved the aid organization’s vehicles being destroyed by drone strikes.
Following an investigation, the Israel Defense Forces admitted to “grave mistakes” in the incident, leading to the discharge of two senior officers.
Biden’s call for action includes an immediate ceasefire by Israel and a proposal to ensure uninterrupted access to food and medical supplies for the next six to eight weeks.
He also reiterated that any ceasefire should include Hamas’s agreement to a pause and the release of remaining hostages.
Recently, Israel announced plans to open a northern Gaza crossing and a deep-water port to improve aid flow into the region, though specifics on the operation of these routes remain undisclosed.
The ongoing offensive in Gaza has led to over 33,000 Gazans being killed since the October attack, with the majority being civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry.
