Joe Biden says Israel’s response in Gaza is ‘over the top’
The US president's remarks follow increasing domestic pressure to convince Israel to stop its attacks
09 February 2024 - 09:52
byNidal Al Mughrabi and Humeyra Pamuk
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US President Joe Biden. Picture: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
Doha/Tel Aviv — US President Joe Biden said Israel’s military response in Gaza was “over the top” and that he was seeking a sustained pause in fighting as diplomats sought to salvage ceasefire talks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Hamas proposal.
“I’m of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been over the top,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday.
Biden’s remarks are some of his sharpest public criticism to date of Netanyahu’s government and follow increasing domestic pressure to convince Israel to stop its attacks.
Biden also said he has been pushing for a deal to normalise Saudi Arabia-Israel relations, increased humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians and a temporary pause in fighting to allow the release of hostages taken by Hamas.
“I’m pushing very hard now to deal with this hostage ceasefire,” Biden said. “There are a lot of innocent people who are starving, a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying, and it's got to stop.”
In a sign that diplomacy was not over, a Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil Al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Thursday for ceasefire talks with mediators Egypt and Qatar.
Netanyahu said on Wednesday that terms proposed by Hamas for a ceasefire in the four-month-old war were “delusional” and vowed to fight on, saying victory was in reach and just months away.
Gazans are desperately hoping a ceasefire could arrive in time to head off a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah, hard against Gaza’s southern border fence and now home to over a million people, many of them living in makeshift tents.
An Israeli operation in Rafah without due consideration for the plight of civilians would be “a disaster”, said White House spokesperson John Kirby, adding “we would not support it”.
Israeli planes bombed parts of the city on Thursday morning, residents said, killing at least 11 people in strikes on two houses. Tanks also shelled some areas in eastern Rafah, intensifying residents’ fears of an imminent ground assault.
Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel follows through on its threat to enter Rafah, one of the last remaining areas of the Gaza Strip that its troops have not moved into, where people are desperate for shelter.
Israel began its military offensive after Hamas militants from Gaza killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.
Gaza’s health ministry says at least 27,840 Palestinians have been confirmed killed, and more than 67,000 injured since the conflict began.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Joe Biden says Israel’s response in Gaza is ‘over the top’
The US president's remarks follow increasing domestic pressure to convince Israel to stop its attacks
Doha/Tel Aviv — US President Joe Biden said Israel’s military response in Gaza was “over the top” and that he was seeking a sustained pause in fighting as diplomats sought to salvage ceasefire talks after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a Hamas proposal.
“I’m of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been over the top,” Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday.
Biden’s remarks are some of his sharpest public criticism to date of Netanyahu’s government and follow increasing domestic pressure to convince Israel to stop its attacks.
Biden also said he has been pushing for a deal to normalise Saudi Arabia-Israel relations, increased humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians and a temporary pause in fighting to allow the release of hostages taken by Hamas.
“I’m pushing very hard now to deal with this hostage ceasefire,” Biden said. “There are a lot of innocent people who are starving, a lot of innocent people who are in trouble and dying, and it's got to stop.”
In a sign that diplomacy was not over, a Hamas delegation led by senior official Khalil Al-Hayya arrived in Cairo on Thursday for ceasefire talks with mediators Egypt and Qatar.
Netanyahu said on Wednesday that terms proposed by Hamas for a ceasefire in the four-month-old war were “delusional” and vowed to fight on, saying victory was in reach and just months away.
Gazans are desperately hoping a ceasefire could arrive in time to head off a threatened Israeli assault on Rafah, hard against Gaza’s southern border fence and now home to over a million people, many of them living in makeshift tents.
An Israeli operation in Rafah without due consideration for the plight of civilians would be “a disaster”, said White House spokesperson John Kirby, adding “we would not support it”.
Israeli planes bombed parts of the city on Thursday morning, residents said, killing at least 11 people in strikes on two houses. Tanks also shelled some areas in eastern Rafah, intensifying residents’ fears of an imminent ground assault.
Aid agencies have warned of a humanitarian catastrophe if Israel follows through on its threat to enter Rafah, one of the last remaining areas of the Gaza Strip that its troops have not moved into, where people are desperate for shelter.
Israel began its military offensive after Hamas militants from Gaza killed 1,200 people and took 253 hostages in southern Israel on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.
Gaza’s health ministry says at least 27,840 Palestinians have been confirmed killed, and more than 67,000 injured since the conflict began.
Reuters
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