Joe Biden confuses Gaza with Ukraine twice as he announces plans to airdrop aid
2 March 2024, 09:17
US president Joe Biden confused Gaza and Ukraine twice while announcing plans for the US to airdrop aid.
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Mr Biden revealed that the US would begin providing humanitarian assistance in Gaza when he made the blunder.
It came a day after dozens of Palestinians were killed during an encounter with Israeli troops.
At least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday.
But when making the announcement, Mr Biden twice referred to the airdrops being in Ukraine instead of Gaza.
"In the coming days, we're going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies into Ukraine," he said.
He added that the US will "seek to open up other avenues into Ukraine, including possibly a marine corridor".
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White House officials later clarified that the president was actually referring to Gaza, with a transcript of his remarks having been changed.
Mr Biden went on to correct himself, saying: "In addition to expanding deliveries by land, as I said, we're going to insist that Israel facilitate more trucks and more routes to get more and more people the help they need.
"No excuses, because the truth is aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough now — it's nowhere nearly enough.
"Innocent lives are on the line and children's lives are on the line."
The president made the announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White House.
"We won't stand by until we get more aid in there," he said. "We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several."
It comes after Mr Biden underwent his annual medical examination earlier in the week.
White House physician Dr Kevin O'Connor said he was "fit for duty", adding that Mr Biden "fully executes all of his responsibilities without any exemptions or accommodations".
The 81-year-old said: "Everything's great."
