The Axios news website quoted a senior Israeli official as saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his aides were surprised by US President Joe Biden’s request to stop fighting in Gaza, outside the context of the prisoner exchange deal, in their last call, which was described as the most difficult since the beginning of the war.

Sources told the website that Netanyahu said that new measures would be taken on the humanitarian side in the Gaza Strip, and therefore “there is no need to stop the fighting.”

On the other hand, Biden warned Netanyahu that the US administration would not be able to support him unless Israel changed its course in Gaza, according to what informed sources confirmed to Axios.

But Biden did not specify the manifestations of the loss of American support, nor did he mention the possibility of halting arms shipments to Israel.

The same sources stated that the phone conversation, which took place yesterday, Thursday, between Biden and Netanyahu, was the most difficult “in terms of tone and content” since the seventh of last October.

However, Axios quoted an American official as saying, “We still support a ceasefire as part of the hostage deal, and this must happen immediately.”

Earlier, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said - citing political sources - that the phone call held by the two parties was “more difficult than expected,” while the White House said that the tough tone adopted by Biden during the call reflects “growing frustration” over the lack of response from Tel Aviv to protect civilians.

Following the call, Israeli media said that the mini-ministerial council decided to increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip immediately, and also agreed to open the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Strip.

Senate pressure

On the other hand, the Democratic member of the US Senate, Senator Tim Kaine, said that despite American and other pressures, the aid that Israel allows to the Gaza Strip is insufficient.

Kane urged the Biden administration to prioritize the delivery of defensive weapons to Israel and withhold offensive weapons, noting that delivering the latter type would only “exacerbate the suffering in Israel, Gaza, and the region.”

The Democratic Senator added, "Biden's position that pushed Israel to open a border crossing was a clear solution that should have been taken months ago."

For his part, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders issued a warning to the Israeli Prime Minister, saying, "If thousands of trucks do not arrive to feed the hungry in Gaza, all military aid will stop."

The United States is the largest supporter of Israel in its war on the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for about 6 months, as it established an air and sea bridge to supply it with thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition.

American reports: Biden waved to Netanyahu to restrict support and request a settlement in northern Gaza

American media reports revealed more details about the phone call that US President Joe Biden made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, Thursday, in which he asked him to take concrete steps to reduce “harm to civilians” in Gaza.

On Friday, NBC quoted American officials as saying that Biden assured Netanyahu that Washington might make its aid to Israel conditional on its behavior in the war.

The officials added that Biden asked the Israeli Prime Minister to agree to a ceasefire in Gaza and expand the powers of the negotiating delegation in the prisoner exchange talks.

Regarding the reasons for this change in the American tone, the same sources told the network that the killing of the World Central Kitchen relief team in an Israeli raid in Gaza last Monday, and the appeal of Jill Biden, wife of the US President, to stop the war, and the movement of the Muslim community, are all things that led to a shift in Biden’s position.

American officials added that Biden told invitees at a meeting of American Muslims that his wife calls on him daily to stop the war in Gaza.

On the other hand, the Wall Street Journal quoted an informed source as saying that Biden asked Netanyahu to reach a settlement with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) regarding the return of displaced Palestinians to the northern Gaza Strip, to ensure the progress of prisoner exchange and ceasefire negotiations.

The Hamas movement says that Netanyahu is still procrastinating and refuses to reach a specific agreement, stressing at the same time its adherence to the vision it presented last March 14 and its four demands: a comprehensive ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced, and a real exchange of prisoners.

"Tough call"

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said - citing political sources - that the phone call held by the two parties was “more difficult than expected,” while the White House said that the tough tone adopted by Biden during the call reflects “growing frustration” with Tel Aviv’s failure to respond to demands to protect the country. Civilians.

Biden also called on Netanyahu - during the call - to “announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, human suffering, and the safety of aid workers,” according to a White House statement.

The statement added that Biden "made clear that American policy regarding Gaza will be determined by our assessment of the immediate action that Israel will take regarding these steps."

For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said, “Look, I will just say this: If we do not see the changes we need to see, there will be changes in our policy.”

The United States is the largest supporter of Israel in its war on the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing for about 6 months, as it established an air and sea bridge to supply it with thousands of tons of weapons and ammunition.