Biden privately urges Netanyahu to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza

President Biden privately urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to minimize civilian casualties as the Jewish state wages war against Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, according to a report. 

The plea from the 80-year-old president came during a phone call with Netanyahu on Tuesday and was the most direct message yet from Biden to the Israeli prime minister on the topic of potential civilian deaths, according to NBC News. 

Biden stopped short of making the same request publicly during remarks on Tuesday after his call with Netanyahu. 

“I just got off the phone with — the third call with Prime Minister Netanyahu,” Biden said. “ And I told him if the United States experienced what Israel is experiencing, our response would be swift, decisive, and overwhelming.” 

“We also discussed how democracies like Israel and the United States are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law,” he added, suggesting that Israeli Defense Forces should avoid strikes that may result in the deaths of civilians.

“Terrorists purposefully target civilians, kill them. We uphold the laws of war — the law of war. It matters. There’s a difference,” he said. 

Hamas terrorists slaughtered more than 1,000 civilians and Israeli troops during a Saturday morning raid of the country. 

Roughly 150 hostages, including Americans, according to Biden, were taken by Hamas and rushed across the border into Gaza. 

Biden’s apparent plea for restraint comes as several far-left members of the Democratic Party have criticized Israel’s response to the unprecedented attack from Hamas. 

“Violations of human rights do not justify more violations of human rights, and a military response will only exacerbate the suffering of Palestinians and Israelis alike,” Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), a member of the liberal “Squad” of congressional lawmakers, tweeted Saturday.

“We must do our part to stop this violence and trauma by ending U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid,” she added. 

Another Squad member, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), urged the Biden administration on Monday to shift from giving Israel “unconditional weapons sales and military aid” to diplomacy, and suggested that Israel’s plan to destroy Hamas might be a “war crime.”

“The Israeli Defense Minister has called Palestinians ‘human animals’ and promised to cut off all electricity, all food, and all fuel to civilians in Gaza,” Omar wrote in a lengthy thread on X, formerly Twitter.

“This is collective punishment, a war crime, and the U.S. should oppose any violations of international law if we truly support a rules-based international order,” she continued.

Israel’s cabinet has declared war for the first time in 50 years and has launched airstrikes on Gaza ahead of an expected ground attack.

The first shipment of US “advanced ammunition” arrived in Israel Tuesday, aboard a US aircraft, according to the IDF. 

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House Tuesday that the US “has surged ammunition and interceptors for [Israel’s] Iron Dome” missile defense system on Biden’s orders.