The president of the US, Joe Biden, has refuted claims that Israel's assault in Gaza was genocide, slamming the International Criminal Court prosecutor's "outrageous" request for an arrest warrant for Israeli commanders.
"What's happening is not genocide," Biden said during a Jewish American Heritage Month event at the White House, where he reviewed the crisis precipitated by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.
His words particularly linked to a case before a separate tribunal, the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), which is hearing South Africa's charges that Israel's war in Gaza constitutes genocide.
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However, he also increased his criticism of the ICC, a separate war crimes court, stating that "we reject" ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan's request to arrest Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and its defense minister.
Khan also wanted the arrest of prominent Hamas members, including Yahya Sinwar, the Palestinian terrorist group's head in Gaza, and Ismail Haniyeh, its political chief.
"Whatever these warrants may imply, there is no equivalence between Israel and Hamas," Biden said to the crowd in the White House Rose Garden.
Biden promised "ironclad" support for Israel, saying, "We stand with Israel to take out Sinwar and the rest of the butchers of Hamas."
The US president also promised to liberate the captives kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 raid, "come hell or high water."
Hours earlier, he released a written statement calling the ICC warrants "outrageous."
Separately, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautioned that the ICC prosecutor's action "could jeopardise" cease-fire talks to end the violence in Gaza.
