President Joe Biden has told reporters听he believed an early US intelligence assessment听about a听hospital explosion in Gaza听鈥 and appeared to mock Hamas for its aim.听
鈥淚鈥檓 not suggesting that Hamas deliberately did it either. It鈥檚 that whole thing 鈥 got to know how to shoot straight,鈥 he said after Israel identified Palestinian Islamic Jihad as responsible.听
Hamas said it was from an Israeli airstrike while Israel blamed a rocket misfired by other Palestinian militants. Biden sided with Israel, saying the explosion appeared to be the work of the 鈥渙ther team鈥. AP reports that they have not independently verified any of the claims or evidence released by the parties.听
After his brief visit to Tel Aviv,听Biden told reporters he understood why some people were sceptical about who was responsible for the fatal hospital blast.听
鈥淚 don鈥檛 say things like that unless I have faith in the source I got it... our Defense Department says it鈥檚 highly unlikely it鈥檚 the Israelis,鈥 he said.听
Biden said he also made it clear to the Israelis that there was a need for humanitarian support for Palestinians in Gaza.听
He said 鈥淚srael has been badly victimised鈥 but they need to focus on relieving the suffering of people with nowhere to go.听
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has been praised by Biden for opening the Rafah border crossing, which will allow 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza. Biden also pledged the US would help to get people trapped in Gaza out.听
World leaders have to use this opportunity to 鈥渁lleviate the pain鈥 of the people, said Biden.听
Biden, who defended Israel during his visit to Tel Aviv, has become听a target of angry protests in support of Palestinians.听
Palestinian protesters burn pictures that show US President Joe Biden at the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, south Lebanon. Photo / AP听
In Amman, a sign hoisted by one protester labelled Biden and Netanyahu war criminals, saying: 鈥淧artner in Crime.鈥听
鈥漈oday, the Jordanians declare that the Americans are an enemy, just as the Israeli enemy is,鈥 political activist Rania al-Nimr said.听
At the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh in south Lebanon, protesters set fire to a cardboard cutout of Biden鈥檚 head with a rope around his neck and blood painted over his mouth.听
In Tokyo, protesters outside the US Embassy chanted 鈥淯SA, shame on you鈥 and 鈥淛oe Biden, shame on you鈥.听
- With AP, the Daily Telegraph UK听
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