US President Joe Biden on Wednesday called for a “humanitarian pause” in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after he was confronted by a protester calling for a ceasefire at a campaign fundraiser. Biden was speaking to about 200 people when the protester shouted, “As a rabbi, I need you to call for a ceasefire right now.” Biden responded by saying, "I think we need a pause.” The White House later clarified that Biden was referring to the hostages held by Hamas since its 7 October attack on Israel in which 1,400 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage.
Though the White House has refused to call for a ceasefire but, it has signalled that Israel should consider humanitarian pauses to allow civilians to receive aid and also to allow foreign nationals trapped on the strip to leave Gaza.
As per AP, Biden has exerted pressure on Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to give Palestinians a brief relief from the continuous military operation which has left thousands dead and mired the 141-square-mile strip in a roiling humanitarian crisis.
So far the US has maintained its stance of not dictating how Israel retaliates to the attack by Hamas, however, the president has been facing continuous pressure from human rights groups, fellow world leaders and even liberal members of his own Democratic Party. According to news agency Associated Press, the people pressurising Biden are saying that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza is collective punishment and that it is time for a ceasefire.
The first people to leave Gaza after the attack, apart from the four hostages released by Hamas and another rescued by Israeli forces, crossed into Egypt.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Wednesday said that Biden’s newly confirmed ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, will soon be dispatched to the Middle East region and he will be tasked in part with “supporting US efforts to create the conditions for a humanitarian pause to address the worsening humanitarian conditions facing Palestinian civilians,” as reported by AP.
Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Herzog, in response to calls for more aid, told “The Hill” on NewsNation Wednesday “we don’t need urging.” He added, “We are ramping up humanitarian supplies into Gaza in those areas which are away from Hamas in the southern part of Gaza. The number of truckloads doubles and is going to pick up more and more. We provide water. We provide other types of supplies.”
He further said, “So we don’t need urging, urging in that sense. Our Cabinet discussed this week this issue and decided there are no limitations as long as we can make sure that Hamas does not put its hands on humanitarian supplies and uses them to feed its war machine. That will not happen. Short of that, everything is open.”
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says at least 8,796 Palestinians, including 3,648 children, have been killed by Israeli strikes since the start of the conflict.