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Nov. 2 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden has called for a "humanitarian pause" in the Israel-Gaza conflict to allow more time to extricate "prisoners" from the war-ravaged region. "I think we need a pause," Biden said in response to a question from a protester who interrupted the president while he was speaking at a campaign event in Minnesota. "A pause means give time to get the prisoners out. Give time," he said.
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The protester identified herself as Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg, and said she wanted Biden to call for a cease-fire.
"Mr. President, you care about Jewish people. As a rabbi, I need you to call for a cease-fire right now," she said.
After the crowd quieted her, Rosenberg said, "I would love for you to answer my question," at which point Biden called for a pause.
Negotiations to free 239 hostages, including children and elderly people, have continued since Hamas' terrorist attack killed about 1,400 people in Israel Oct. 7.
Biden's comment Wednesday night seemed to run counter to the White House narrative that has avoided telling Israel how to respond to Hamas' deadly terror attack.
"The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization -- a flat-out terrorist organization," Biden said Wednesday evening.
Still, the president touted his recent record in convincing leaders to bolster humanitarian assistance for people seeking freedom in the region.
"I'm the guy that convinced Bibi to call for a cease-fire to let the [hostages] out. I'm the guy that talked to Sisi to convince him to open the door," Biden said of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the latter remark seemingly a reference to the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza.
The U.S. had called for a humanitarian pause in recent days to get aid to civilians stuck in Gaza.
