Biden Presses Netanyahu on Curtailing Civilian Casualties in Gaza

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to swiftly implement new steps to protect civilians and aid workers in Gaza or face the curtailment of U.S. support for Israel’s ongoing war effort against Hamas.

Speaking to reporters in the White House press room, National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby said that “frustration” was expressed by both leaders during the 30-minute call and that Biden told Netanyahu in no uncertain terms that an “immediate cease-fire is essential to stabilize and improve the humanitarian situation and to protect innocent civilians.”

The call came just days after Israeli airstrikes killed seven food aid workers in Gaza; all of the workers were part of World Central Kitchen, a humanitarian organization founded by restaurateur José Andrés to provide immediate food relief to disaster-stricken areas.

During the call, Kirby said, “the president emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation in Gaza are unacceptable.”

“He made clear the need for Israel to announce and to implement a series of specific, concrete and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers,” Kirby continued. 

“And he made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on the steps.”

Biden’s side of the conversation marked a sharp change in his administration’s steadfast support for Israel’s war efforts, and was an indication, Kirby said, of how “shaken” the president was by the attack on the aid convoy.

The president also urged Netanyahu to allow his negotiators to strike a deal with what remains of Hamas to bring the remaining hostages home.

When asked by a reporter whether the White House was implying Israel was obstructing the path to peace, or that Hamas was somehow more willing to negotiate, Kirby rejected both assertions.

“Look, it takes active participation and willingness to negotiate on both sides here,” he said. “That’s what the president is urging. And in the call with Netanyahu, he was urging the prime minister to empower his team, to the maximum extent possible, to see if we can get this deal in place.”

The two leaders also discussed public Iranian threats against Israel and the Israeli people. Biden made clear that the United States strongly supports Israel in the face of those threats. 

Kirby described the exchange between the two leaders as “direct” and “honest” throughout.

Neither Kirby nor the White House would specify on Thursday what could change about U.S. policy if Israel fails to move far enough in the direction the administration wants it to go.

Standing at the podium in the White House press briefing room, Kirby declined “to preview any potential policy decisions coming forward.”

“What we want to see are some real changes on the Israeli side. And, you know, if we don’t see changes from their side, then there will have to be changes from our side. But I won’t preview what that could look like,” he said.

Later, in terms of the “concrete steps” the president wants to see, Kirby said the White House wants to see “in coming hours and days” a “dramatic increase in the humanitarian assistance getting in, particularly from Jordan, and we want to see tangible steps taken in regard to the mitigation of civilian harm, particularly to humanitarian aid workers.

“But again, those are the broad brushes. I’ll let the Israelis speak to what they will or will not do here,” he said.

Asked whether the president had given Netanyahu an ultimatum, Kirby demurred.

“I would characterize this call as very direct, very businesslike and very professional on both sides.The president laid out his significant concerns about the direction and where things are going. And quite frankly, told the prime minister that we are willing to reconsider our own policy approaches here, depending upon what the Israelis do or don’t do.”

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue