President Biden provides insight on his administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas war during a press briefing. In a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Biden denied the accuracy of casualty numbers provided by the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry on Wednesday.
Biden expressed “no confidence” in the ministry’s claim that 6,546 Palestinians have been killed and 17,439 wounded since October 7. When asked if Hamas’ statistics suggest that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ignoring U.S. calls to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza, Biden responded, “What they say to me is that I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s a price of waging a war.”
Amidst Israel’s preparations for a potential ground invasion of Gaza, Biden emphasized the importance for Israel to be careful in targeting those responsible for the conflict. He expressed support for Israel in rooting out Hamas terrorists and called for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians to ultimately end the war.
Israel claims that at least 1,400 people, including foreigners, were killed in Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7. Biden’s statement comes as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues with exchanges of rockets, missiles, and artillery barrages for the past 19 days.
While Biden supports Israel’s actions, he also acknowledges the need for caution and a resolution that allows for peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He stated that there is “no going back” and that the war must end with a two-state solution.
Anders Hagstrom, a reporter with Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events, contributed to this article. For more political content, updates from the 2024 campaign trail, and exclusive interviews, subscribe to our newsletter.
