Biden said the US asked Israel to be 'incredibly careful' in hospital raid, hopeful on hostage deal

President Joe Biden suggested Israel faces little pressure from the US to rein in its invasion of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, saying the war will stop “when Hamas no longer maintains the capacity to murder, abuse and just do horrific things to the Israelis.”

Speaking at a solo press conference in California after meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden provided clear support for Israel in the face of pressure from some in the Democratic party to call for a ceasefire and signs of frustration with how Israel is waging the war amongst officials in his administration.

Biden doubled down on comments from US officials that Washington had intelligence backing up Israel’s claim that Hamas had a military headquarters at al-Shifa hospital, but refused to say what that intelligence was.

He said the US asked Israel to be 'incredibly careful' in its raid on the hospital.

Hamas has denied operating in the hospital and accused Biden of giving Israel a ‘green light’ to raid the medical facility.

Biden also provided insight into his thinking on the war amid signs of some divergence between the US and Israel over mounting civilian casualties in Gaza and Israel’s ‘day-after plan’ for the enclave.

Middle East Eye reported previously that US officials were growing frustrated with the high number of civilian casualties Israel is inflicting, with one US official telling MEE that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was acting in defiance of the US.

But Biden said Hamas intends to attack Israel again: “They’re not kidding about it. They’re not backing off. And so I just ask a rhetorical question: I wonder what we would do if that were the case?”

Biden, however addressed two points where the US and Israel have diverged.

He said that he was opposed to Israel occupying the Gaza Strip and said he “made it clear “ to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the “only ultimate answer” to the conflict was a two-state solution.

Netanyahu said Israel will maintain an indefinite security presence in Gaza and has shown no willingness to restart talks on a two-state solution.

Biden also said he was "mildly hopeful" that there would be a deal to free hostages held by Hamas.

"I don't want to get ahead of myself here because I don't know what's happened in the last four hours, but we have gotten great cooperation from the Qataris," he said when asked about progress on freeing hostages taken on 7 October.

Biden appeared to suggest some movement from Israel on a potential deal noting the "pause the Israelis have agreed to" before cutting off his thought and saying "I'm going to stop. But I am mildly hopeful."

He said no US troops woud be sent to free the hostages.