The United States President, Joe Biden, has given conditions to support Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Biden said US support for Netanyahu depends on steps by Israel to address civilian harm and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The US president made the demand during a telephone conversation with Netanyahu, which was published by the White House.
According to the official records from the White House, the two leaders discussed the situation in Gaza, with Biden “emphasising that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable.”
Biden is also said to have 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 readout added that Biden told his Israeli counterpart that US policy “with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps” and stressed that an immediate ceasefire “is essential to stabilise and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians.”