A rescuer looks on amid debris at Gaza City. Reuters/Mohammed Salem
In his latest show of support for Israel, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday addressed Jewish community leaders at a roundtable in the White House and called the attacks by Hamas a "campaign of pure cruelty".
"I never really thought that I would see and have confirmed pictures of terrorists beheading children," Biden said in broader remarks about his administration's support for Israel amid its war with Hamas and efforts to free American hostages.
During the event at the White House, featuring a group of around two dozen rabbis and leaders of Jewish organisations, Biden also warned Iran to "be careful".
"We moved the US carrier fleet to the eastern Mediterranean and we are sending more fighter jets to that region, and made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful," he said, adding, "When terrorist groups like Hamas, brought not only a sheer evil, sheer evil to the world, evil that echoes the worst matches in some cases exceeds the worst atrocities of ISIS."
Earlier on Wednesday, the US president spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu, marking the fourth known call between the two. Biden also assured Netanyahu that the United States is sending more military assistance to help Israel fight Hamas militants.
"The United States has Israel's back and I have yours as well -- both at home and abroad," the president said.
On Tuesday, Biden confirmed that US citizens are among those who have been taken hostage by Hamas. The White House said on Wednesday that 17 Americans are unaccounted.
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