Biden’s Critique of Netanyahu: Impact on Israel-Gaza Crisis
US President Joe Biden has publicly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s handling of the situation in Gaza, stating that he believes Netanyahu’s approach is a “mistake”. Biden emphasized the need for Gaza to have “total access to all food and medicine” over the next six to eight weeks, warning that ongoing US support for the conflict hinges on Israel allowing more humanitarian aid into the region.
Israel has denied obstructing aid entry into Gaza and has instead accused UN agencies of failing to effectively distribute the aid that is permitted. Despite weeks of negotiations, a ceasefire agreement has yet to materialize, but international pressure for a resolution continues to mount.
Biden’s comments come in the wake of Israeli military strikes that resulted in the deaths of seven aid workers from the organization World Central Kitchen. Biden condemned the targeting of the aid convoy by drones as “outrageous”, prompting the Israeli Defense Forces to acknowledge “grave mistakes” leading to the fatal incident, resulting in the dismissal of two senior officers.
In his interview, Biden reiterated his call for a ceasefire, urging Israel to allow unrestricted access to food and medicine for the next six to eight weeks. He emphasized the importance of Hamas agreeing to a pause in hostilities and releasing remaining hostages.
Israel recently pledged to open a crossing to northern Gaza and a deep water port to facilitate increased aid flow into the region. However, Biden continues to face domestic pressure regarding US support for Israel, with growing criticism over its conduct in the six-month-old conflict, particularly towards Netanyahu.
Despite Biden’s criticisms, military support from the US to Israel, including bombs, missiles, and ammunition, remains uninterrupted. The conflict was sparked by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli border communities on October 7, resulting in casualties and hostages taken.
According to Israeli reports, of the 130 hostages still in Gaza, at least 34 are confirmed dead. The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 33,000 Gazans, the majority being civilians, killed during Israel’s offensive in Gaza since the October attack, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
