US President Joe Biden has said Israel is starting to lose global support over its “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.
Biden made this known at a fundraising event on Tuesday, marking his strongest criticism yet of Israel’s leadership.
The president has offered unwavering public support to the country since Hamas launched its attacks on 7 October.
And while he reiterated that Israel could count on US backing, he issued a direct warning to its government.
“Israel’s security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has Europe, it has most of the world,” he told donors to his 2024 re-election campaign in Washington.
“But they’re starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place,” he said.
Biden, however, added that there was “no question about the need to take on Hamas” and Israel had “every right” to do so.
The US leader has faced growing pressure, including from within his own Democratic Party, to rein in Israel’s military campaign. His remarks align with his administration’s recent approach to the war, with officials urging Israel to “put a premium on human life” and give clearer instructions to allow people to avoid the conflict.
The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza has said more than 18,400 people have been killed by Israeli bombing since 7 October, when Hamas broke through Israel’s heavily guarded perimeter and killed 1,200 people.
In a statement later on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had received the “full backing” of the US for its ground war as well as its goal of destroying Hamas and recovering hostages.
He added that Washington had blocked “international pressure to stop the war”.
“Yes, there is disagreement about ‘the day after Hamas’ and I hope that we will reach [an] agreement here as well,” he said.
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