Extract from ABC News
US President Joe Biden has told Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future US support for the Gaza war depends on new steps to protect civilians and aid workers.
The pair spoke by phone days after Israeli air strikes killed seven aid workers in Gaza — including Australian Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom.
The White House said Mr Biden "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".
Mr Biden "made clear that US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these steps", the White House said in a statement.
Israel has said it would adjust tactics in the Gaza war after describing the attack on the aid workers as the result of a misidentification, and that inquiry findings would be made public soon.
"This happens in war," Mr Netanyahu said after the strike.
"We are conducting a thorough inquiry and are in contact with the governments. We will do everything to prevent a recurrence."
The statement from the White House reflected a sharp change in Mr Biden's tone and, for what appears to be the first time, a set of strings attached to continued US support.
Mr Biden staunchly supported Israel, even when other governments sought to put more pressure on Israel.
His comments marked the first time the US has suggested it would condition its continued support.
It came as World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés called for an independent investigation of the Israeli strikes that killed seven of his group's aid workers.
The White House said the US had no plans to conduct its own investigation, even as it called on Israel to do more to prevent the killing and wounding of innocent civilians and aid workers as it carries out its operations in Gaza.
During a briefing with reporters after the call, White House spokesperson John Kirby declined to elaborate on what specific changes the US would make on its policy toward Israel and Gaza.
He said Washington hoped to see an announcement of Israeli steps in the "coming hours and days".
During the call, Mr Biden "underscored that an immediate ceasefire is essential to stabilise and improve the humanitarian situation and protect innocent civilians", the White House said.
Mr Biden urged Mr Netanyahu to empower his negotiators to conclude a deal to bring home hostages captured by Hamas in its deadly October 7 attack, it added.
In Brussels, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel "must meet this moment" by surging humanitarian assistance and ensuring the security of those who provide aid.
"If we don't see the changes that we need to see, there'll be changes in our policy," Mr Blinken told reporters.
Rights group says Israeli strike on Gaza building killed 106
Human Rights Watch says an Israeli attack on a Gaza apartment building in October killed at least 106 civilians, including 54 children.
The New York-based rights group says its investigation into the attack, published on Thursday, found no evidence of any military target, making it a war crime.
The attack was one of the deadliest since the start of the war in October.
Human Rights Watch says four separate strikes collapsed the Engineer's Building in central Gaza, which was housing about 350 people, about a third of whom had fled their homes elsewhere in the territory.
Those killed included children playing soccer outside and residents charging phones in the first-floor grocery store.
The rights group says it interviewed 16 people, including relatives of those killed in the attack on October 31, and analysed satellite imagery, 35 photographs and 45 videos of the aftermath.
It was unable to visit the site because Israel heavily restricts access to Gaza.
Witnesses told the rights group there was no warning ahead of the attack.
Human Rights Watch says Israeli authorities have not published any information about the purported target and did not respond to its own requests for information.
The military did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press on Thursday.
Israel says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames their deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in dense, residential areas.
But the military rarely comments on individual strikes that kill dozens of people every day, including women and children.
Reuters/ AP
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