Biden: Netanyahu's approach to Gaza war 'hurting Israel more than helping'

US President Joe Biden said Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "hurts Israel more than he benefits it" in the way he conducts the war in Gaza, making vague statements about whether there is a "red line" that Americans will set for the Israeli state.

Biden considered in an interview with MSNBC that "it is his right (Netanyahu) to defend Israel and continue to attack Hamas. But he must be more cautious about the innocent lives lost due to the measures taken," adding, "In my opinion, this hurts Israel more than it benefits it."

Biden was asked during the interview whether there is a "red line" that Israel should not cross in its attack. The journalist specifically asked whether a widespread Israeli attack in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip would constitute a "red line."

Biden said, "That is a red line, but I will never abandon Israel. Defending Israel remains of utmost importance. There is no red line through which I want to completely stop weapon shipments," as then the Israelis would not be "protected by the Iron Dome."

Biden added, "There are red lines... It is impossible for another 30,000 Palestinians to die."

On the other hand, Biden tried to avoid a clear answer to a question about the possibility of him visiting Israel soon, which he had visited in October following the Hamas attack.

When the journalist asked him, "Should you" visit Israel, the US president simply said "yes," without saying anything else or specifying whether he had been invited.

AFP