US President Joe Biden on Saturday called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “protect” civilians in the Gaza Strip, where Israel continues its bombings and ground offensive, the White House said in a statement.
“The president stressed the critical need to protect the civilian population, including those contributing to humanitarian aid operations, and the importance of allowing civilians to safely leave areas where fighting continues to take place,” according to the communicated.
The conversation took place a day after the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution that “requires all parties to authorize and facilitate the immediate, safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance.” on a large scale” in the Gaza Strip, without however calling for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Biden told White House reporters that he had a “long discussion” with Mr. Netanyahu, which he called a “private conversation.”
In response to a follow-up question, Mr. Biden said: “I did not call for a cease-fire. »
According to the White House statement, the two leaders discussed the “objectives and phasing” of the Israeli military campaign as well as security issues.
After more than two months of bombardment
At least 20,258 people — mostly women, children and adolescents — have died in Gaza since the start of the Israeli army’s offensive, according to Hamas.
The war was launched in retaliation for the unprecedented attack carried out on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist movement, which left around 1,140 dead on Israeli soil, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count carried out from the last Israeli assessment. Some 250 people were also kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
Humanitarian aid, whose entry into Gaza is controlled by Israel, arrives in trickles from Egypt and the Israeli border crossing of Kerem Shalom, but it falls far short of the immense needs of the devastated Palestinian territory after more two months of bombing.
