Biden says he did not demand that Netanyahu postpone ground offensive on Gaza

“Nto the. It was their decision, I didn’t demand it”declared Biden in response to a question at a press conference.

“What I told him (Netanyahu) was that if it is possible to get these people out safely, that is what he should do.”needed.

Reiterating that Israel has not only the right but also “the duty” to defend itself, after the bloody attack by Hamas on October 7, which left more than 1,400 dead in Israeli territory, most of them civilians, Biden added that the country must do “everything in his power to spare Palestinian civilians.”

He noted, however, that he “does not have confidence” in the death toll in the Gaza Strip provided by the Palestinians.

According to local authorities, strong Israeli retaliation has so far killed at least 6,546 people in that poor Palestinian enclave controlled by Hamas since 2007, a group classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Israel.

The American head of state also called for attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank to “stop immediately”.

Speaking at the press conference in Washington alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Biden also referred to the collision at sea between Chinese ships and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, insisting on his country’s commitment to defending the Philippines , after Manila accused China of engaging in “intentional” clashes.

“Any attack on Philippine planes, ships or armed forces will result in the activation of our mutual defense partnership”, declared the Democratic head of state to the press.

“The United States’ commitment to the Philippines is unwavering,” he stressed.

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