Biden delivers ultimatum to Israel to protect Gaza civilians

Israel blames strike that killed seven aid workers on series of failures by the military

US President Joe Biden effectively gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ultimatum on April 4: Protect Palestinian civilians and foreign aid workers in Gaza, or Washington could rein in support for Israel in its war against Hamas militants.

The message, after months of US calls for Israel to change its military tactics that have killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, followed an Israeli attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers and triggered global outrage.

Israel admits the strike was a mistake.

Senior Israeli military officials on April 5 pinned it on a series of failures, including a breakdown in communication and violations of the rules of engagement.

They said two officers who ordered the air strikes on the WCK convoy a colonel and a major have been dismissed from their positions. The military also formally reprimanded senior officers, including the general at the head of the Southern Command.

The case was also handed over to the military advocate general to consider a possible criminal investigation, the military said.

"The strike on the aid vehicles is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistaken identification, errors in decisionmaking and an attack contrary to the standard operating procedures," the Israeli military said in a statement issued on April 5.

The White House did not say exactly what steps it wanted Mr Netanyahu to take, nor what it would do if he failed to take them. But analysts said the implicit threat was to slow US arms transfers to Israel or to temper US support at the United Nations.