President Biden has again criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and called his approach to the war in Gaza a “mistake,” underscoring how the conflict has strained relations between the two close allies.
Tensions between the Biden administration and Israel’s government have risen as the death toll in Gaza has climbed. Mr. Biden’s frustration has hit a peak in recent weeks, according to a senior administration official, especially after the deadly Israeli strike this month on a convoy of aid workers.
In an interview that was recorded last week and aired Tuesday night on Univision, Mr. Biden again referred to the strike as “outrageous” and said he did not approve of Mr. Netanyahu’s approach.
“I think what he’s doing is a mistake. I don’t agree with his approach,” Mr. Biden said, echoing remarks he made last month. “So I — what I’m calling for is for the Israelis to just call for a cease-fire.”
The Associated Press reported that the Univision interview was recorded last Wednesday — two days after the Israeli strike killed seven workers from the World Central Kitchen charity and the day before Mr. Biden and Mr. Netanyahu had a tense 30-minute phone call.
On that call, President Biden threatened to condition future support for Israel on how it addressed his concerns about civilian casualties and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. That prompted Israel to commit to allowing more food and other supplies into the besieged territory.
Chris Cameron contributed reporting.