White House cleans-up Biden's quotes and says Americans weapons are still being sent to Israel... but issues another warning about invading Rafah

The White House cleaned up President Joe Biden's threat to stop sending weapons to Israel, saying the shipments are continuing. 

'Everybody keeps talking about pausing weapons shipments. Weapons shipments are still going to Israel. And they're still getting the vast, vast majority of everything that they need to defend themselves,' National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday. 

Biden told CNN on Wednesday that he would pause more arms shipments to Israel if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launches a full-scale invasion of Rafah.

Israelis reacted with fury and ceasefire negotiations have stalled. Netanyahu didn't respond directly to Biden's comment, but he posted a video on social media of a defiant speech he delivered this week in which he said 'no amount of pressure' will 'stop Israel from defending itself.'

The White House cleaned up President Joe Biden's (left) threat to with hold arms from Israel as Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu (right) reacted with fury

The president, last week, delayed the delivery of 3,500 bombs to the U.S.'s Middle East ally. It was the first time he used his executive power to influence Israel's approach to its war with Hamas. 

But his words of warning on Wednesday was the most direct threat Biden has made to Israel during the seven-month war. 

'Civilians have been killed in Rafah as a result of those bombs and other ways they go after population centers. I made it clear that if they go into Rafah – they haven't gone into Raffa yet - I'm not supplying the weapons,' Biden said.

Kirby, however, appeared to be clarifying the president's stance.

'As the President said, Israel has not yet launched such an operation. So he was talking about what would happen in the future, if they did. That's a choice that Israel will have to make. And it's one we hope they don't,' he noted.

The Biden administration has been trying to stop Israel from launching a full-scale attack in Rafah, where more than a million Palestinian refugees have gathered. 

But Kriby said Biden is 'going to continue to provide Israel with the capabilities that it needs, all of them. But he does not want certain categories of American weapons used in a particular type of operation in a particular place.' 

He noted the administration is 'doing everything we can to help Israel.'

However, he also reiterated the White House argument that Israel should not move further into Rafah. 

'We hope they don't make those kinds of decisions to go into Rafah. But I think the President was crystal clear last night, that if they do smash into Rafah ... that he's going to have to make future decisions, but again, we hope we hope it doesn't come to that,' Kirby said. 

Israeli soldiers with military vehicles gather at an undisclosed position near the border fence with the Gaza Strip

An Israeli self-propelled howitzer fires a shell to the Gaza Strip near the Kerem Shalom crossing in Southern Israel

Israel heavily relies on the U.S. to stock its military. Many of the drones used last month to ward off Iranian missiles were American-made and U.S. forces helped counter the bombing. 

On Monday, Israel's military warned about 110,000 civilians to leave Rafah, and hours later its tanks moved in. It was not a full-scale invasion but some worry that one is imminent.

Israel has threatened a major assault on area to defeat thousands of Hamas fighters it says are holed up there. 

Republicans blasted the administration's decision to delay the bomb delivery.

Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell demanded answers on why the bomb shipment was delayed and said they had to learn about it from media reports and not the administration.

'We were alarmed by media reports that your Administration had delayed the delivery of a variety of weapons shipments bound for Israel. This news flies in the face of assurances provided regarding the timely delivery of security assistance to Israel,' they wrote to Biden in a joint letter.

Senator Mitt Romney blasted Biden for his policy.

'We stand by allies, we don’t second guess them. Biden’s dithering on Israel weapons is bad policy and a terrible message to Israel, our allies, and the world,' he wrote on X. 

Senator Lindsey Graham rebuked the administration.

'This is obscene. It is absurd. Give Israel what they need,' Graham said, noting it wasn't for Washington to second-guess how Israel fought a war against Hamas militants bent on Israel's destruction.

Senator Deb Fischer, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, called on Biden to drop 'his politically-motivated hold'.

'American support for Israel cannot be in doubt, especially now,' she said.

And Representatives Mike Rogers, the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Michael McCaul, the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, released a joint statement calling on the bombs to be delivered.

'We are appalled that the administration paused crucial arms shipments to Israel. Withholding arms to Israel weakens Israel's deterrence against Iran and its proxies like Hamas and Hezbollah,' they said.

A group of Israeli soldiers holds an Israeli flag as they gather with military vehicles at an undisclosed position near the border fence with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel

Meanwhile, U.S. officials are worried that Israel now controls the Gaza side of a crossing to Egypt that is a major conduit for humanitarian aid. 

Gaza is experiencing a humanitarian crisis and famine-like conditions.  

The seizure and the closing of the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only two major entry points in the south for food, medicine and other supplies, has prompted worries the crisis could worsen.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the administration has reassurance the crossing has been reopened.

'We have been told by Israel that that has been opened. It is important to get those trucks in. It is important to get that aid into Gaza. So, that's what we want to see,' she said Wednesday.

'We know how dire the situation is in Gaza. We want to continue to get that humanitarian aid, and we want a ceasefire. We want a ceasefire,' she noted.

Hamas' Oct. 7 attack killed about 1,200 people with about 250 others abducted, of whom 133 are believed to remain in captivity in Gaza, according to Israel.

Israel's campaign to destroy Hamas has so far killed a total of 34,789 Palestinians, mostly civilians, the Gaza Health Ministry said.