Biden shoots down putting US troops in Israel

President Joe Biden discounted claims that the U.S. military will put troops in Israel to fight alongside the Israeli Defense Forces should the conflict in Gaza escalate.

The Times of Israel reported Wednesday afternoon that “Biden officials have indicated to Israel in recent days that if Hezbollah initiates a war against Israel, the U.S. military will join the IDF in fighting the terror group.”

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The president spent Tuesday in Tel Aviv and briefly spoke to the press traveling with him Wednesday evening while refueling at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Evan Vucci/AP

“Not true,” Biden responded when pressed on the Times of Israel report. “I’ve never said that.”

The president told reporters that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi had agreed to open the Rafah gate bordering Gaza to allow roughly 20 trucks of humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinian people.

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Biden additionally told reporters that he asked “tough questions” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and urged the government to abide by the rules of war while carrying out military operations in Gaza.

“I was very blunt with the Israelis. And here’s a — look, Israel has been badly victimized, but, you know, the truth is that if they have an opportunity to relieve suffering of people who have nowhere to go, that is what they should do. And if they don’t, they’ll be held accountable in ways that may be unfair,” he stated. “My point to everyone is if you have an opportunity to alleviate pain, you should do it, period. And if you don’t, you’re going to lose credibility worldwide.”