John AdoyiIn a recent interview aired on Tuesday, United States President Joe Biden for the first time, criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the Gaza crisis, calling it “a mistake.”
This statement comes just hours after Netanyahu vowed to “eliminate” Hamas’s brigades, including in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Biden, who has been a staunch supporter of Israel’s actions in Gaza, including vetoing United Nations resolutions for ceasefire, expressed his disagreement with Netanyahu’s approach. He specifically criticized how aid workers were being handled in the war-torn region.
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“What I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a ceasefire, allow for the next six, eight weeks, total access to all food and medicine going into the country,” Biden stated. “There’s no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. It should be done now.”
Israel has denied allegations that it prevented aid from entering Gaza. However, experts suggest that Biden’s shift in stance may be influenced by concerns in the United States that the Gaza crisis could impact the upcoming November elections. During the Democrat primaries in March, many voters in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Hawaii, and Minnesota voted uncommitted due to Biden’s Gaza policy, indicating potential repercussions for the Democratic Party.
It was reported by The Guardian UK that Biden warned Netanyahu during a tense call last week that the United States would change its policy if Israel did not alter its practices regarding Gaza. In the call, Biden urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza and protect civilians, while also pushing Netanyahu to empower negotiators to reach a ceasefire with Hamas.
Since the call, Israel has relaxed its policy on aid access to Gaza, allowing in over 500 trucks.
According to the health ministry in Gaza, at least 33 thousand, 360 Palestinians have been killed and 75,933 wounded since Israel’s invasion began. Israel reported 1,170 deaths and 250 people taken hostage in October 7 attacks, with 130 still missing. Israel alleges that at least 34 of the missing hostages are dead.
