US President Joe Biden has told Jewish people celebrating the holidays at the White House that, differences with Israeli leadership aside, his “commitment” to the “independent Jewish state is unshakeable”, Reuters reports.

He added: “Folks, were there no Israel, there wouldn’t be a Jew in the world that was safe.”

He said assistance to Israel would continue until Hamas was routed out but warned that public opinion could shift in grave ways for Israel’s security.

“We have to be careful,” Biden said. “They have to be careful. The whole world’s public opinion can shift overnight. We can’t let that happen.”

Biden said the United States would continue to work to free hostages still held in Gaza, speed humanitarian aid to Palestinians and “emphasise to our Israeli friends we need to protect civilian life”.