For Joe Biden, if the bombings and Israel’s ground offensive against Hamas are justified, they should not be carried out at any cost. The American president therefore called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to “protect” civilians in the Gaza Strip.
“The president stressed the crucial need to protect the civilian population, including those contributing to humanitarian aid operations, and the importance of allowing civilians to safely leave areas where fighting continues to take place,” according to a press release from the White House.
A resolution voted on in the Security Council
The conversation between the two leaders took place a day after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution that “requires all parties to authorize and facilitate the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of ‘large-scale humanitarian aid’ in the Gaza Strip, without however calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Earlier in the day, Joe Biden told reporters at the White House that he had a “long discussion” with Benjamin Netanyahu, which he called a “private conversation.” In response to a follow-up question, Joe Biden said: “I did not call for a cease-fire.” According to the White House, the two leaders discussed the “objectives and phasing” of the Israeli military campaign as well as security issues.
More than 20,000 dead in Gaza according to Hamas
At least 20,258 people – mostly women, children and adolescents – have died in Gaza since the start of the Israeli army’s offensive, according to Hamas. The war was launched in retaliation for the unprecedented attack carried out on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist movement, which left around 1,140 dead on Israeli soil, the majority civilians, according to the Jewish state. Some 250 people were also kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
Humanitarian aid, whose entry into Gaza is controlled by Israel, arrives in trickles from Egypt and the Israeli border crossing of Kerem Shalom, but it falls far short of the immense needs of the devastated Palestinian territory after more two months of bombing.