WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden On Tuesday, he said he was “outraged and heartbroken” by the killing of seven World Center Kitchen aid workers, and delivered his harshest criticism of Israel. War with Hamas.
“This conflict has been one of the worst in recent memory in terms of how many aid workers have been killed,” Biden said. statement. “This is the main reason humanitarian aid is so difficult to distribute in Gaza – because Israel has not done enough to protect aid workers trying to deliver much-needed aid to civilians.
“Events like yesterday should not happen. Israel has not done enough to protect civilians,” he added.
An Israeli on Monday air attack killed seven aid workers from the aid organization World Central Kitchen, including a dual US citizen. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday that more than 200 aid workers have been killed in the war since Oct. 7.
Biden added that he would “continue to press Israel” to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
The president’s statement — his first comments on Monday about the aid workers killed — comes as he confronts growing criticism from progressives, Arab Americans and Muslims over his handling of the war. Some critics have called the Americans “Give up on Biden“at the ballot box or voting”without obligation“Protesting the actions of the leadership in the primaries.
Criticism of Biden’s handling of the war has been particularly sharp in the states Michigan, a swing state with a large Arab American population. This could be a critical part of the path to the White House. Biden narrowly won Michigan in 2020, and Donald Trump narrowly won in 2016.
Tuesday, Biden he called High-profile chef Jose Andrés, who founded World Central Kitchen, “to express his heartbreak,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the daily briefing.
World Central Kitchen announced it was suspending aid efforts to Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he said “We will do everything to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said on Tuesday, adding that Israel Defense Forces had “unwittingly shot innocent people.”
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 32,900 people have died in Gaza since the war began. According to the Israeli government, about 1,200 people were killed in Israel on October 7. About 240 Israelis were abducted, and Israel said there were more than 100 pledges He remains in Gaza.
Biden has previously criticized Israel’s handling of the war and said more needs to be done to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza.
When one of his speeches was interrupted By pro-Palestinian protesters last week, Biden said “they have a point” and added, “We need to care more about Gaza.”
Biden also supported Netanyahu’s public criticism. After Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y. delivered Biden, who delivered a speech last month that sharply criticized Netanyahu and called for new elections in Israel, praised the words.
“He gave a good speech, and I think he expressed a serious concern, not only of his, but of many Americans,” he said.
Separately, Biden said MSNBC interview Last month, he believed Netanyahu was “hurting Israel more than helping Israel.”