Biden losing patience with Israel's Netanyahu over Gaza: Report

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden is losing patience with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the conflict in Gaza, according to a report on Sunday.

Citing US officials with knowledge of the matter, the Axios news website reported that Biden and senior American officials are getting frustrated with Netanyahu and his refusal to comply with the administration's requests concerning the conflict in Gaza.

"The situation sucks and we are stuck. The president's patience is running out," Axios quoted one US official as saying.

The report also noted that Biden has not engaged in conversation with the Israeli prime minister for the past 20 days.

The last phone call between the two men, which occurred on Dec. 23, was described as "tense."

"There is immense frustration," another US official told the Axios.

Among the US requests from Netanyahu are the release of the Palestinian tax revenues Israel is withholding, Israel's inaction to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, Netanyahu's rejection of the US plan for a reformed Palestinian Authority to have a role in post-Hamas Gaza and a reduction in Israeli operations in Gaza.

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who the Axios said has been in close contact with the American officials about the conflict, said, "At every juncture, Netanyahu has given Biden the finger."

"They are pleading with the Netanyahu coalition, but getting slapped in the face over and over again," the senator told the Axios.

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group which Tel Aviv claims killed 1,200 people in Israel.

At least 23,968 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and 60,582 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities.

According to the UN, 85% of the population of Gaza is already internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.