President Biden demanded a ceasefire in Gaza during a Thursday phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The president emphasized that further United States support would require the implementation of additional protections for civilians and humanitarian service providers.
During the 30-minute call, described by Axios as ‘tense,’ the White House said that Biden “made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken backed the President’s new measures, telling reporters at a NATO meeting in Brussels that “if we don’t see the changes that we need to see, there will be changes in our own policy.”
The discussion marked the first time that the administration threatened to change course on their strategy for the six-month long conflict. Future decisions are likely to now require at least some level of Israel adjusting its operations.
The ultimatum comes several days after the White House criticized Jerusalem for the accidental killing of seven aid workers from NGO World Central Kitchen. Administration officials have suggested that this incident was crucial in orchestrating the new procedures.
Israel initiated an independent investigation after the regrettable event and released a video statement from the IDF Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, expressing his condolences regarding the targeting error.
Biden has been facing growing criticism from leftist and Arab-American organizations within his party about the current conduct of the war as he starts a tough re-election campaign against former President Donald Trump.
The opposition to his support of the Jewish state during the current crisis has included protests, primary election boycotts, and refusals of Muslim-American leaders to attend meetings with him.
A recent report from The New York Times suggested that even First Lady Jill Biden is pressuring him to temper Israel’s military actions in the coastal enclave.
Israel has long denied that it places any restrictions on the distribution of assistance to Gaza’s civilian population. Some supplies, such as fuel for hospitals, are even provided directly by the Israeli military.
Related Story: Biden Has Changed His Tune on Gaza ‘Ceasefire’ as Activist Pressure Mounts, and Election Draws Near
