President Joe Biden has told Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he believes an “immediate ceasefire” is “essential.”
The White House said in a readout of a phone call between the two leaders, “President Biden spoke by telephone with Prime Minister Netanyahu. The two leaders discussed the situation in Gaza. President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable.”
“He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps,” it continued.
The readout continued:
“[Biden] underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians, and he urged the Prime Minister to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home.”
Finally, it added, ” The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people. President Biden made clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats.”
Readout of Biden and Netanyahu's phone call says Biden said "the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable" adds "He underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation." pic.twitter.com/KaE0gvFqLd
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The call comes as Israel is facing backlash after air strikes killed seven aid workers.
Its military called the strike that led to their deaths a mistake and vowed to adjust its tactics.
The strike came months after the terrorist organization Hamas launched its Oct. 7 massacre in Israel killing roughly 1,200 people and taking an estimated 253 hostages. Israel believes Hamas is still holding 130 hostages.
Israel has offered temporary ceasefire resolutions to obtain the release of the hostages. However, Hamas has maintained it wants a permanent ceasefire with certain conditions.
“We are committed to our demands: the permanent ceasefire, comprehensive and complete withdrawal of the enemy out of the Gaza Strip, the return of all displaced people to their homes, allowing all aid needed for our people in Gaza, rebuilding the Strip, lifting the blockade and achieving an honourable prisoner exchange deal,” Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said on Wednesday.
Reuters notes, “The exchange he referred to would be a release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails in return for Israeli hostages being held by militants in Gaza since a deadly Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault on Israel.
“Israel had said it was interested only in a temporary truce to free hostages. Hamas has said it will let them go only as part of a deal to permanently end the war,” it explained.
Biden’s comment to Netanyahu comes after a report that First Lady Jill Biden has reportedly been pressuring him to “‘Stop [the war], stop it now”
