U.S. President Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stating that ``attacks on humanitarian aid workers are unacceptable,'' in response to the attack by the Israeli military in the Gaza Strip that killed seven NGO staff. He urged Israel to respond by telling them that future U.S. policy regarding the area would be determined by Israel's response.
Heavy attacks by the Israeli military continued on the 4th in the Gaza Strip, and local health authorities announced that 33,037 people had died so far.
"An independent investigation is the only way to prevent future attacks on humanitarian workers," World Central Kitchen, an international NGO whose seven staff members were killed in a single-day attack by Israeli forces, said on the 4th. ' issued a statement.
Against this backdrop, the US White House announced on the 4th that President Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
In the meeting, President Biden stated, ``The attacks on humanitarian aid workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable,'' and stated that future U.S. policy regarding the Gaza Strip would be determined by Israel's response. I was forced to take appropriate action.
Meanwhile, by the 4th, the Israeli military announced that, based on its assessment of the situation, it had decided to temporarily suspend leave for all combat units and to deploy reservists to air defense units.
Several Israeli media outlets have reported that the move is in preparation for the attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, the Syrian capital, on the 1st.
Iranian President Raisi stated on state television on the 3rd, ``Israel will be punished by the resistance front and will regret its crimes,'' and said that the Iranian-backed armed group from various Middle Eastern countries called the ``Axis of Resistance'' There are hints of retaliation, and tensions are rising.
US Secretary of State: ``If there is no change in response, policy may change''
Secretary of State Blinken said at a press conference in Belgium, where he was visiting, ``Israel is not Hamas. Israel is a democracy, and Hamas is a terrorist. And democracies place the highest value on human life. If we lose respect, we risk becoming indistinguishable from those who oppose us," he said, urging Israel to protect civilians.
``If we don't see the change in response that we seek, there will be a change in policy,'' he said, hinting at the possibility of revising some of America's policies that support Israel, and pressing Israel to respond.