Biden urged Netanyahu to accept a Gaza ceasefire, protect civilians

President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone on Thursday and pushed him to accept an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and to address the humanitarian situation in the coastal region.

"President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable," the White House stated in a readout of the call. "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."

The stern remarks follow an Israeli strike earlier this week that kill several aid workers with World Central Kitchen, a charity organization founded by celebrity chef José Andrés. The Israeli government has acknowledged that its strike killed the aid workers, but claimed it was an accident. Andrés, for his part, has cast doubt on those claims and contended that Jerusalem has sought to deliberately limit relief aid in the strip.

Biden has repeatedly condemned Israel's handling of the invasion, calling it "over the top" and warning Netanyahu's government against attacking Rafah, a pivotal border crossing with Egypt to which many civilians have fled to avoid the carnage. Netanyahu has openly insisted he will mount such an assault. Biden's prior public statements, however, have generally not hinted at a substantive policy change toward Jerusalem. The readout, however, suggested that the White House may reconsider its position.

"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. "He 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."

Israel invaded the Gaza Strip in the wake of an Oct. 7 Hamas raid that saw its forces kill roughly 1,200 civilians and take more than 200 hostages. The Israel Defense Forces have attracted international scrutiny over their tactics in the densely populated areas and over the reported civilian death toll, which has reached roughly 32,000, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Ministry of Health.

The United Nations Security Council last month approved a vote demanding an immediate ceasefire.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.