Joe Biden said Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict in Gaza was “hurting Israel more than helping Israel” in an interview aired yesterday, as the US leader’s impatience with his Israeli counterpart grows increasingly visible, AFP reports.

With Gaza’s humanitarian crisis growing more dire and Biden’s left flank in uproar, the US president made contradictory remarks as to the question of a “red line” over Israel’s threatened offensive on Rafah in southern Gaza.

Netanyahu “has a right to defend Israel, a right to continue to pursue Hamas,” Biden said, but added that “he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”

“In my view he is hurting Israel more than helping Israel,” he said.

“It is a red line,” the 81-year-old Democrat said, immediately adding: “I am never going to leave Israel. The defense of Israel is still critical.