The US can’t ignore growing animosity from Arab nations over deaths in Gaza

The worsening humanitarian situation inside the besieged territory is increasing the pressure on Joe Biden’s administration to force concessions from Israel, writes Kim Sengupta

Palestinians look for survivors after an Israeli strike on Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, on Friday (AP)

Israel continues to expand its military operations in Gaza. Punitive raids by its forces appear to have stymied any armed solidarity struggle in the West Bank, and Hezbollah does not look like it’s ready to help out Hamas with a cross-border conflict from Lebanon.

But the West, which is providing top cover for Israel in the conflict, with the US rushing in supplies to add to the multibillion-dollar arms packages every year, is beginning to feel a growing backlash from the Arab world as the toll of Palestinian dead passes 12,000 – most of them women and children.

The recent extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh, with 57 international leaders present, condemned Israel for the brutal strife, declaring: “Protection from cycles of violence and wars will not be achieved without ending Israeli occupation. We hold Israel, the occupying power, responsible for the continuation and aggravation of the conflict.”