Netanyahu defends Gaza bombardment after Biden criticizes 'over the top' offensive

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defending his military's continued bombardment of Gaza, targeting Hamas fighters, after President Joe Biden criticized the campaign as «over the top» given the dire conditions and high death toll in the Palestinian territory.

When asked about Biden's remark in a Sunday interview with ABC News «This Week» co-anchor Jonathan Karl, Netanyahu said he appreciated the president's support thus far and laid the blame for civilian casualties with Hamas, whose terror attack in October sparked the current war.

«I don't know exactly what he [Biden] meant by that, but put yourself in Israel's shoes. We were attacked. Unprovoked attack, murderous attack on Oct. 7,» Netanyahu said, adding, «I think we've responded in a way that goes after the terrorists and tries to minimize the civilian population in which the terrorists embed themselves and use them as human shields.»

Karl pressed Netanyahu on the number of deaths, with the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health estimating more than 28,000 killed. The Israeli prime minister acknowledged many civilians had been killed but claimed — without presenting evidence — that Israel's military is currently killing more Hamas fighters than civilians.

«I'd be cautious with the Hamas statistics, and I can tell you that according to these urban warfare experts and other commentators, we've brought down the civilian-to-terrorist casualty, the ratio down, to below 1-to-1, which is considerably less than in any other theater of similar warfare. And we're going to do more,» Netanyahu said.

«Wait a minute. You're saying it's only been one civilian that's been killed for one Hamas terrorist in Gaza?» Karl followed up.

Netanyahu insisted that was true.

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