Biden to Netanyahu: Israel must immediately and significantly boost aid to Gaza

US President Joe Biden told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their phone call earlier today that the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza needs to “immediately and significantly increase,” the White House says.

Israel over the weekend reopened the second of three water pipelines that provide water to the Gaza Strip but 90% of the water flow in Gaza is self-sourced and goes through desalinization and water treatment plants that have been only running at a limited capacity due to lack of fuel. Israel says Hamas is diverting fuel from civilian use and has refused to allow additional supply since the war broke out, in what may push hospitals to the brink.

The United Nations warned earlier that “civil order” is starting to collapse in Gaza after thousands of people ransacked its food warehouses in the war-torn Palestinian enclave.

The issue came up during Biden’s call with Netanyahu about the latest developments in the Gaza war and the president “underscored the need to immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza,” according to the US readout.

The rest of the readout repeats previous White House talking points on the war.

Biden “reiterated that Israel has every right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism and underscored the need to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law that prioritizes the protection of civilians.”

The two also “discussed ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release of hostages, including American citizens who remain unaccounted for and may be held by Hamas,” the readout adds, saying that the two agreed to “remain in regular consultation both directly and through their respective national security teams.”