US President Joe Biden has said he strongly supports Israel’s “right and obligation” to eliminate Hamas after its unprecedented attacks on 7 October.
But as the civilian cost from Israel’s military response grows, he has also been telling its government that the way it responds will determine what is possible in the long term.
How he walks this tightrope will have significant consequences both for him and the United States. The BBC’s Barbara Plett Usher assesses how he is adapting his message to meet the high-stakes situation.
