Amnesty International’s USA chapter has said that US President Joe Biden “disappoints in visit to Israel” and “fails to de-escalate violence and protect human rights”.

In a statement, Paul O’Brien, the executive director of Amnesty International USA, said: “President Biden had an opportunity to prevent the further loss of life in the face of grave human suffering and make clear that the US will hold all parties, including its allies, to account for any violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.”

He added that the president should have “worked to de-escalate the violence and protect all civilians following the loss of life of thousands, and the deaths of hundreds yesterday at Gaza’s Al-Ahli Arab hospital”.

“Instead, the president maintained unreserved support for the Israeli government’s actions in the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank and committed what appears to be further unconditional military support, without emphasising the vital importance of upholding international human rights and humanitarian law,” Brien added.