Biden's ultimatum to Bibi: Change Gaza policy or we will

President Biden is putting pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to protect innocent civilians and improve the humanitarian situation. This marks Biden's strongest push for an end to the fighting in Gaza in six months of war, with a warning that U.S. policy on the conflict will depend on Israel's compliance with his demands. The call came after an Israeli strike killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, prompting Biden to emphasize the unacceptable nature of such attacks on humanitarian workers. Biden outlined a series of concrete and measurable steps that Israel must take to protect aid workers and address humanitarian suffering, with the key line being that U.S. policy towards Gaza will be determined by Israel's immediate actions. Secretary of State Tony Blinken echoed this sentiment, stating that there will be a change in U.S. policy if the necessary changes are not seen in Israel's actions. The U.S. expects Israel to increase aid to Gaza, open additional crossings, move towards a ceasefire, and better protect civilians and aid workers. The call between Biden and Netanyahu was described as tense and challenging, lasting over 30 minutes. Biden had previously linked calls for a ceasefire to a deal to bring Israeli hostages home, but the White House did not fully connect these issues in the recent readout. Senator Chris Coons, a top Democratic supporter of Israel, expressed openness to conditioning aid based on Israel's conduct in the conflict.