The United States on Thursday issued its strongest public rebuke of Israel since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip.conditional support for Israeli offensive to take concrete measures to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and Palestinian civilians.

US President Joe Biden, who has so far firmly supported the offensive, called for an immediate ceasefire in a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following the Israeli attack on the World Central Kitchen charity convoy this week, in which seven aid workers were killed.

Biden “has made clear that Israel needs to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete and measurable measures to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering and the safety of aid workers,” the White House said in a statement.

“He made clear that U.S. policy toward Gaza will be determined by our assessment of the situation in Gaza. Immediate Israeli action on these measures”he added.

The White House statement reflected a sharp change in Biden’s tone, the first time The United States offered to make its support conditional.

By suggesting that a change in U.S. policy toward Gaza was possible if Israel failed to resolve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave, Biden channeled his own frustration along with growing pressure from his left-wing political base to stop the killing and reduce hunger among innocent people. civilian population.

During a briefing with reporters after the call, White House spokesman John Kirby declined to specify what specific changes the United States would make to its policy toward Israel and the Gaza Strip.

Kirby said Washington expects to see announcement of Israeli measures in the “coming hours and days.”

On Monday, Israel carried out an attack that killed seven workers of the humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen in the Gaza Strip.

The White House described Biden as outraged and heartbroken by the attack, but before Thursday’s call, the president had made no fundamental changes to Washington’s strong support for Israel in its conflict with Palestinian militants Hamas.

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In Brussels, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel “must meet this moment” by increasing humanitarian assistance and ensuring the safety of those who cooperate.

“If we don’t see the changes we need, there will be changes in our policies,” Blinken told reporters.

Reuters