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Biden says working to get Israel 'significantly' out of Gaza
(BSS/AFP) - US President Joe Biden said Monday he was working to get Israel to cut its military presence in Gaza, after protesters calling for a ceasefire disrupted him during a campaign speech.
"I've been quietly working with the Israeli government to get them to reduce and significantly get out of Gaza," Biden said at a church in Charleston, South Carolina where a white supremacist shot dead nine Black parishioners in 2015.
As the protesters chanted "ceasefire now," Biden said: "I understand their passion."
The congregation at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Church then drowned out the noise of the demonstration by chanting "four more years" to back Biden's campaign for a second term in office.
Biden has firmly supported Israel during its military operation against Hamas following the October 7 attacks, drawing a number of protests at recent public events and anger from parts of his Democratic party.
He has increasingly called on Israel to avoid civilian casualties, warning in December that it risked losing global support by "indiscriminate" bombing.