During a recent address, US President Joe Biden experienced another moment of mix-up, mistakenly referring to airdropping food and supplies into Ukraine when he intended to speak about aid efforts in the Gaza Strip. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was present alongside Biden when this error was made.
White House spokesperson John Kirby later corrected the misstatement, confirming that President Biden’s references to Ukraine were indeed meant for Gaza. This clarification came in after a speech where Biden underscored the US’s commitment to join Jordan and other countries in sending airdrops of food and supplies to the Palestinian territory.
Biden detailed the aid strategy, suggesting the exploration of various avenues to deliver assistance, which may include a marine corridor. The miscommunication occurred against the backdrop of Biden hosting Prime Minister Meloni at the White House and followed shortly after he incorrectly identified the Egyptian President as Mexico’s and deflected questions about his own cognitive health.
On the previous day, news had emerged of over 100 Palestinian casualties following an engagement with Israeli forces. Witnesses reported that as massive throngs gathered to salvage items from an aid convoy, Israeli soldiers engaged the crowd, resulting in the deaths, partly attributed to a stampede. Israel defended its actions by indicating that its forces reacted to perceived threats.
Biden, speaking on the need for aid in Gaza, emphasized the insufficient current aid flows and highlighted the urgency to protect lives, especially those of children. Despite the verbal slip, the message was clear: the US is gearing up to significantly enhance humanitarian efforts for war-stricken Gazans, in collaboration with international partners, to alleviate the dire conditions Palestinians currently face.