Biden warns Netanyahu to protect civilians in Gaza or U.S. policy will change

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that future U.S. support for Israel will depend on Israel's steps to protect civilians in Gaza.

During a high-stakes phone call, Biden emphasized to Netanyahu that Israeli strikes on humanitarian workers delivering aid to Gaza and "the overall humanitarian situation" in Gaza are "unacceptable," according to a readout of the call issued by the White House.

Biden "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," said the readout.

The president, according to the readout, "made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these steps."

Biden also urged Netanyahu to both implement "an immediate ceasefire" with Hamas and "conclude a deal without delay to bring the hostages home," the readout said.

The Israeli government announced on Thursday that it would adjust its tactics in Gaza after the military acknowledged that the attacks that killed seven aid workers were a serious mistake, Reuters reports. It stated that the inquiry results would be made public as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip said in a statement on Thursday that the Israeli army killed 62 Palestinians and wounded 91 others during the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 33,037 and injuries to 75,668 since the Israel-Hamas conflict broke out on October 7, 2023.

More weapons

The White House approved more bombs to Israel on the day the Israeli military struck a convoy and killed seven workers of a food charity group delivering aid to Gaza, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The Washington Post based its report on information it received from three U.S. officials, who the newspaper said revealed the detail about the approval this week.

The State Department approved the transfer of more than 1,000 MK82 500-pound bombs, over 1,000 small-diameter bombs, and fuses for MK80 bombs, all from authorizations granted by Congress several years ago, said the report, citing the U.S. officials.

Israeli forces carried out an airstrike Monday that resulted in the deaths of seven members of World Central Kitchen as they were on route to distributing food to civilians in Gaza.

The Washington Post report went on to say that a State Department spokesperson confirmed that the approval for the transfer of the bombs occurred sometime "prior" to when the Israeli aircraft struck the aid convoy.

'Disastrous state'

Lebanon's agricultural and educational sectors are in a "disastrous state" amid continuous Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, said Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday, urging quick assistance from the international community to support Lebanon in dealing with its crises.

"About 800 hectares of lands were completely damaged, 340,000 heads of livestock were lost, and about 75 percent of farmers lost their only source of income," Mikati said, according to a statement released by the Lebanese Council of Ministers.

Mikati's remarks came following a meeting with ambassadors and donor countries to discuss the situation in southern Lebanon.

Mikati emphasized the need for quick assistance from friendly countries to help Lebanon deal with the situation on its southern border.

"The education sector suffers equally from a dire situation in southern Lebanon, where about 75 schools were permanently closed, not to mention the hassle of finding a source of funding to rebuild them," he said.

Mikati added that about 100,000 Lebanese citizens were displaced from southern Lebanon, with over 300 people killed and about 1,000 wounded due to border confrontations.

The prime minister reiterated his call for the international community to pressure Israel to stop its attacks in Lebanon and prevent the conflict from spreading across the region.

(With input from agencies)