Sawt Falasteen - Biden says Israel must do 'everything' it can to protect civilians

As international pressure mounts for a ceasefire, Biden told a press conference with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that he "did not demand" that Israel delay a ground invasion of Gaza.

"Israel has a right, and I would add responsibility, to respond to the slaughter of its people," Biden told reporters in the Rose Garden at the White House.

Biden accused Gaza's rulers Hamas of "hiding behind" Palestinian civilians, as Israel bombards the territory, but said Israel must follow the "laws of war."

"Israel has to do everything in its power, as difficult as it is, to protect innocent civilians. It's difficult," he said.

Biden also called for an immediate end to Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.

"That's pouring gasoline on the fire," he said. "They're attacking Palestinians in places that they're entitled, and... it has to stop now."

Israel has been bombarding Gaza since October 7 when Hamas gunmen poured across the border, killing 1,400 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 222 others, officials say, in the worst attack in Israel's history.

So far more than 6,500 Palestinians have been killed, mostly civilians, in the Israeli retaliatory strikes, according to the Hamas-ruled health ministry in Gaza.

- 'Price of waging war' -

Biden however cast doubt on civilian casualty figures put forward by the Palestinians.

"I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I'm sure innocents have been killed, and it's a price of waging war," he said.

"But I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using."

US media have meanwhile reported that Biden has pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold off on a ground invasion of Gaza while Hamas still holds hostages, but Biden denied it.

"What I have indicated to him is that if that's possible to get these folks out safely, that's what he should do. It's their decision," Biden said.

"But I did not demand it. I put it out to him, if it's real, it should be done."

Ten Americans remain unaccounted for after the Hamas attacks and a number are believed to be among the hostages. Two US women were released by the militant group last week.

Netanyahu said in a televised address minutes before Biden and Albanese spoke that "we are preparing the ground offensive" but refused to say when or what form it would take.

The US president meanwhile said there "has to be a vision of what comes next" after the conflict.

"In our view it has to be a two state solution. It means a concentrated effort for all the parties" including Israel, the Palestinians and regional powers including Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Biden reiterated that he was "convinced" that one of the reasons for the Hamas attack was to derail his bid to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Y.AlMasri--SF-PST