Joshua Qualls/Governor's Press Office, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

President Joe Biden engaged in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, marking their first discussion since an incident in which seven humanitarian aid workers were killed in Gaza by an airstrike.

In this call, a summary of which was provided by the White House, Biden reportedly emphasized the critical nature of the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and indicated that the future direction of U.S. policy towards this crisis would hinge on Israel's immediate actions to mitigate civilian harm and ensure the safety of aid workers.

“President Biden emphasized that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable,” a White House readout of the call said. “He made clear the need for Israel to announce and implement a series of specific, concrete, and measurable steps to address civilian harm, humanitarian suffering, and the safety of aid workers. He made clear that U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel’s immediate action on these steps.”

The communication from the White House, if taken at face value, constitutes a stern admonition from Biden, who has shown growing impatience with Netanyahu but has yet to significantly alter the U.S. stance on the war in Gaza.

It represents Biden's closest point to suggesting a conditional approach to aid to Israel since the conflict's inception. Furthermore, the statement implies that Netanyahu himself could be seen as a hindrance to achieving a ceasefire.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby highlighted a shift in the administration's patience, signaling an expectation for imminent changes from the Israeli side, stressing the urgency within “hours and days.”

“What we want to see are some real changes,” Kirby stated. “If we don’t see changes on their side, there will have to be changes on our side.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed this sentiment during a NATO press conference, adopting a firmer stance towards Israel and stressing the necessity of altering its approach to maintain U.S. support.

“Israel must meet this moment,” Blinken remarked, leaving open the potential for U.S. policy adjustments dependent on Israel's actions.