WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden, when responding to a heckler at a Minnesota campaign event Wednesday night, said he thinks there should be a humanitarian “pause” in the Israeli-Hamas war to get “prisoners” out of Gaza.
The 80-year-old Democrat was delivering remarks to some 200 supporters in the northern US state when a member of the audience shouted out to him.
“As a rabbi, I need you to call for a cease-fire right now,” she said, referring to the deadly conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The president responded: “I think we need a pause. A pause means giving time to get the prisoners out.”
Asked about his remarks, the White House later clarified that by “prisoners” the president was referring to hostages held by Hamas.
Biden engaged further with the woman, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by the nickname Bibi.
“I’m the guy that convinced Bibi to call for a cease-fire to let the prisoners out. I’m the guy that talked to (Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-)El-Sisi to convince him to open the door” along Gaza’s border with Egypt to allow freed hostages to leave.
Biden indicated that he was discussing the recent release of two US hostages formerly held by the Palestinian Islamist group.
The White House has previously called for “humanitarian pauses” to allow aid to be delivered into Gaza or to carry out evacuations, but has so far refused to discuss a cease-fire, believing it would exclusively play into the hands of Hamas.
The war between Israel and Hamas entered its 26th day on Wednesday.
In retaliation for the bloody attack by Hamas on October 7, the Israeli army has relentlessly bombed the Gaza Strip, and has launched an increasingly extensive ground operation into the territory.