United States President Joe Biden stated that he did not ask Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a truce in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in a telephone conversation between the two leaders.
“I had a long talk with Netanyahu today [Saturday], and it was a private conversation,” Biden informed reporters on Saturday.
“I did not ask for a ceasefire,” he expressed in response to a shouted question.
In a statement later, the White House conveyed Biden and Netanyahu had talked about Israel’s military actions in Gaza, including its “objectives and phasing.”
Biden “emphasized the critical need to protect the civilian population, including those supporting the humanitarian aid operation, and the importance of allowing civilians to move safely away from areas of ongoing fighting,” said the statement. “The leaders discussed the importance of securing the release of all remaining hostages.”
Biden refused to reveal most details of what he said was his “long conversation” with Netanyahu Saturday, calling it “private.” Hebrew media reports stated the call lasted about 45 minutes.
A comment from Netanyahu’s office on the call expressed the premier “clarified that Israel will continue the war until all of its goals are attained,” which include demolishing the Hamas terror group and getting home the hostages being kept by Palestinian terrorists in the Strip.
The telephonic conversation between the two leaders came a day after the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a resolution urging for increasing aid for Gaza. However, It did not call for a ceasefire or a break in weeks-long fighting. The US expresses it disagrees with a ceasefire that would leave Hamas intact, with the terror group pledging to continue carrying out attacks on Israel of the type it executed on October 7, when thousands of terrorists exploded into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 240 people hostage. Most targets were civilians.
But it has increasingly pressured Israel to quickly pare back its military campaign and shift away from high-intensity warfare after nearly three months of a punishing air and ground campaign, amid growing international outcry over the reported death toll in Gaza and a massive humanitarian crisis.
The resolution, which urged“immediate, safe and unhindered” deliveries of life-saving aid to Gaza “at scale,” was passed after UNSC members debated for days over its language and toned down some conditions at Washington’s affirmation.
Interestingly, the US and Russia refrained from voting. It would impact the ground, aid groups worry, and be close to nil.
“This resolution has been watered down to the point that its impact on the lives of civilians in Gaza will be nearly meaningless,” Avril Benoit, the executive director of Doctors Without Borders, expressed in a statement.
“The way Israel is prosecuting this war, with US support, is causing massive death and suffering among Palestinian civilians and is inconsistent with international norms and laws,” Benoit spoke.
The US also objected to the request to form a UN monitoring mechanism for assistance, ensuring Israel would continue to have a role in examining deliveries.
Netanyahu on Saturday “expressed his appreciation” for the perspective taken by the US at the UN, his office expressed. He also “made it clear that Israel will continue the war until all its goals are completed.”
The military action of Israel has continued to bomb Gaza for nearly 80 days. More than 200 people have been killed in the past 24 hours.
Gaza’s Health Ministry told the death toll since the beginning of the attacks rose to 20,258 on Saturday. Most of the causalities are women and children.
According to UN estimations, the war has displaced 1.9 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
The UN has explained the situation in Gaza as “beyond catastrophic,” with households struggling to find food, fuel, and water while living in overcrowded shelters or tents.
In a post on X, the UN Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) stated it “cannot deliver meaningful aid” while the Israeli military action on Gaza continues.
“Tragically, politics stand in the way of 2.2 million people’s survival in Gaza,” UNRWA spokesperson Tamara al-Rifai expressed at a news conference on Saturday.
