Ties between Washington and Tel Aviv have rarely seemed so strained. While, according to witnesses, the Israeli air force continues to bomb the Gaza Strip on Wednesday April 10 despite the efforts of mediators to secure a truce agreement between Israel and Hamas, the American president, Joe Biden, once again criticized the war policy carried out in the Palestinian enclave by the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
âI think what heâs doing is wrong. I don’t agree with his approach.”declared Mr. Biden on Tuesday during an interview with the Spanish-speaking channel Univision, in response to a question about Israel’s conduct of the war.
These are among the US president’s harshest comments against the Israeli leader as the United States displays growing impatience with the ongoing humanitarian disaster in the Palestinian territory besieged by the Israeli army. Joe Biden judged again âscandalousâ that the humanitarian convoy of the NGO World Central Kitchen was targeted by an Israeli strike, killing seven members of the NGO.
âWhat I am asking is that the Israelis call for a ceasefire, that they allow for the next six or eight weeks, full access to food and medicine coming into the countryâhe said.
Despite warnings from foreign capitals, including his American ally, Mr. Netanyahu, whose security cabinet met Tuesday evening to discuss the truce plan, says he is determined to launch a ground offensive in Rafah that it presents itself as the last major bastion of Hamas, in power since 2007 in the Gaza Strip. This border town with Egypt is home, according to the UN, to around a million and a half people, the majority displaced, leading to fears of a worsening human toll in the event of a land offensive there.
âNo excusesâ
The American president spoke on the telephone last week with the Israeli prime minister, raising for the first time the possibility of conditioning American aid to Israel on measures âtangibleâ on this humanitarian situation. He also said he spoke with âeveryone from the Saudis, to the Jordanians and the Egyptians. They’re ready to go. They’re ready to bring in this food.”.
âI believe there is no excuse for not providing medicine and food to people in need. This must happen nowâsaid Joe Biden.
The United States provides billions of dollars in military aid to Israel, but demands that Israel do more to allow the entry of humanitarian aid. While they welcomed the initial measures announced by Israel as the opening ” temporary “ new crossing points in Gaza, notably in Erez in the North, they are waiting for ” results “.
Relatives of American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were also received by Vice-President Kamala Harris at the White House while negotiations for a truce in Gaza accompanied by the release of the hostages continue. âWe want results. We want our loved ones to returnâRachel Goldberg, whose son Hersh Goldberg-Polin is among the hostages, told reporters.