Netanyahu ''hurting Israel'' by not preventing more civilian deaths in Gaza: US President Joe Biden
Wilmington, Mar 10: US President Joe Biden said Saturday that he believes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "hurting Israel more than helping Israel" in how he is approaching its war against Hamas in Gaza.
The US leader expressed support for Israel's right to pursue Hamas after the October 7 attack, but said of Netanyahu that "he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken." Biden has for months warned that Israel risks losing international support over mounting civilian casualties in Gaza, and the latest remarks in an interview with MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart pointed to the increasingly strained relationship between the two leaders.
Biden said of the death toll in Gaza, "it's contrary to what Israel stands for. And I think it's a big mistake."
Biden said a potential Israeli invasion of the Gaza city of Rafah, where more than 1.3 million Palestinians are sheltering, is "a red line" for him, but said he would not cut off weapons like the Iron Dome missile interceptors which protect the Israeli civilian populace from rocket attacks in the region.
"It is a red line," he said, when asked about Rafah, "but I'm never going to leave Israel. The defense of Israel is still critical, so there's no red line I'm going to cut off all weapons so they don't have the Iron Dome to protect them."
Biden said he was willing to make his case directly to the Israeli Knesset, its parliament, including by making another trip to the country. He travelled to Israel weeks after the October 7 attack. He declined to elaborate on how or whether such a trip might materialize.
The U.S. leader had hoped to secure a temporary ceasefire before Ramadan begins this week, though that appears increasingly unlikely as Hamas has balked at a deal pushed by the US and its allies that would have seen fighting pause for about six weeks, the release of additional hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and a surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza. Biden noted CIA Director Bill Burns is in the region currently trying to resurrect the deal.
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Telangana rains: Four farmers dead, three injured as sheds collapse in Mancherial
Karimnagar (Telangana) (PTI): Four farmers died, and three others were injured after tin-roofed sheds and dilapidated structures collapsed in two separate incidents in Mancherial district of Telangana, officials said on Wednesday.
The incidents occurred in two villages of Luxettipet mandal late on Tuesday night, when the farmers were taking shelter in the structures following heavy rain and strong winds.
According to officials, two people died when a shed caved in at Kothuru village.
In a separate incident in Gampalapalli village, two more persons died after another structure collapsed, police and district authorities said.
The three injured were shifted to a hospital in Karimnagar for treatment, police said.
Preliminary reports indicate that unseasonal rains accompanied by strong winds weakened the structures, leading to the collapses.
Authorities are assessing the situation, and further investigation is underway.
