US’s ultimatum to Israel: ‘Immediate’ Gaza ceasefire, ‘no delay’ in hostage deal
US President Joe Biden effectively gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum for an “immediate” ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and reach a hostage deal “without delay”, in what was Washington’s strongest response to its ally since the war broke out on October 7 last year.
Israel has been facing international criticism after its airstrikes killed seven food aid workers, including a dual citizen of the US and Canada, in Gaza.
The US has expressed concerns over Israel’s deadly offensive in Gaza, where more than 33,000 people have been killed, and pressed for an immediate ceasefire in exchange for the release of around 100 hostages whom Hamas holds.
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According to the White House, Biden told Netanyahu over the phone that Palestinian civilians and foreign aid workers should be protected or the US would re-think its support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
Biden administration officials said the US President did not mince words about the aftermath of the war and that the conversation with Netanyahu was “direct” and “honest”.
The White House didn’t say exactly what steps the US wanted Netanyahu to take and what it would do if the Israeli Prime Minister did not adhere to Washington’s warnings.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump, a Republican vying for the White House, said Israel was “absolutely losing the war” and gave a tough message to the Jewish nation, saying, “Get it over with.” He also called for a swift resolution to end the fighting.
Hours after Biden threatened to condition support for Israel’s offensive in Gaza, Israel’s security cabinet approved the reopening of the Erez border crossing between Israel and northern Gaza.
An Israeli official, quoted by CNN, said the crossing would be opened to allow more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. The cabinet also approved using the Israeli port of Ashdod to help transfer more aid to the war-torn enclave.
Despite Biden’s ultimatum, the US approved the transfer of more than 1,000 bombs to Israel on April 1, the same day when an Israeli airstrike killed seven workers of World Central Kitchen, a food charity in Gaza, a Washington Post report said on Thursday.
The war in Gaza was triggered by a sudden Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left some 1,200 people dead and over 250 people being taken hostages by the Palestinian terror group.
On March 25, the US abstained from a vote on a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the first time since the war broke out. Israel lashed out at the US and said it “abandoned its policy in the UN today”.
Despite the US’s objections, Netanyahu has vowed to launch an offensive in Rafah, the last Hamas stronghold. The move potentially risks the lives of over half of the population that has settled in the southern Gaza town after fleeing from other parts of the Strip during the war.