Read between the lines for Biden’s changing position on Israel, US official says

President Joe Biden has once again warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of his continued opposition to a full-scale invasion of Rafah, but the White House is keeping mum on the potential consequences if the embattled Israeli leader goes ahead with his plans.

The Gazan border city remains the last refuge for many Palestinian civilians in an area that has been devastated by seven months of war. But over the weekend, Israeli forces began airdropping leaflets warning that they were “about to operate with force against the terror organisations in the area you currently reside”.

According to the White House, Biden “reiterated his clear position on Rafah” during a phone call with the longtime Israeli leader on Monday.

White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby said at a briefing on Monday that Biden’s conversation with the Israeli leader had been “constructive” but stressed that the American president’s “clear” view is that Israel’s plans for Rafah “could potentially put more than a million innocent people at greater risk”.

“During his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu, the President again made this clear: We continue to believe that the hostage deal was the best way to avoid that sort of an outcome while securing the release of those hostages. And as I said, those conversations continue,” Kirby said.

He added later that Biden’s “consistent” view has been that “ground operations in Rafah” would not be acceptable to the United States.

The president and other top US officials have consistently warned Israel against a full-on ground invasion in Rafah. Experts say such an invasion would have a devastating effect on the humanitarian crisis that has taken hold in Gaza amid food shortages and the