WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he has “no confidence in the number that Palestinians are using” for the death toll in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, where the health ministry says at least 7,028 people have been killed in Israeli attacks. Biden was asked at a White House press conference whether the death count, which the ministry says includes some 2,913 children, meant Israel was ignoring US appeals to reduce civilian deaths in its bombardment of the coastal enclave.
“… I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war,” Biden said. “(The) Israelis should be incredibly careful to be sure they’re focusing on going after the folks that (are) propagating this war against Israel. And it’s against their interest when that doesn’t happen,” Biden added.