U.S. President Joe Biden stated in an interview aired on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policy in Gaza is "wrong," urging Israel to call for a ceasefire. Biden's comments represent some of his strongest criticisms of Netanyahu to date amidst increasing tensions regarding the high civilian death toll due to the Israeli war on Hamas and the difficult conditions within Gaza.
Biden told the U.S. Spanish-language network Univision when asked about Netanyahu's handling of the war, "I think what he is doing is wrong. I do not agree with his approach." He reiterated during the interview that the killing of seven relief workers last week in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza was "horrific." He added, "Therefore, what I am calling for is for the Israelis to simply call for a ceasefire, and allow full access for all food and medicine to enter the country over the next six to eight weeks."
Biden's remarks regarding the ceasefire represent a shift from his previous statements, where he said the burden was on Hamas to agree to a truce and a prisoner release deal. Biden has also intensified his pressure on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza, stating, "There is no excuse for not providing the needs of these people for food and medicine."
The interview showcased a significant shift in Biden's policy towards Israel since the deaths of the relief workers from the "Global Central Kitchen" in Gaza. Meanwhile, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday that Washington would change its policy with Israel unless Tel Aviv continues to alter its policy in Gaza. Sullivan told reporters from Al Arabiya and Al Hadath, "If Israel's policy does not change on a permanent basis, our policy will change," adding, "We expect Israel to take additional measures to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza."
In a related context, the White House announced that direct talks between Israeli and U.S. officials concerning the planned operation in the city of Rafah, Gaza, will take place within two weeks. Sullivan also stated that Hamas's response thus far to the proposal involving a truce in Gaza and a prisoner exchange is "less than encouraging." He remarked, "We have seen the public statements coming from Hamas, and it can be said that they are less than encouraging."
However, Sullivan indicated that he spoke on Tuesday morning with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who indicated that "no response has been received from Hamas yet." The proposal was presented to Hamas during a "marathon" meeting held on Sunday in Cairo with representatives of the Israeli government and Hamas through Egyptian, American, and Qatari mediators. He added, "I encouraged him to try to obtain a response from them as soon as possible, and when we get more information on that front, we will inform you immediately."
He emphasized that "the time has come to reach this ceasefire agreement. We are ready. I believe Israel is ready. And I think Hamas needs to come to the table and be ready for that as well."
