Israeli troops are still locked in heavy combat with Palestinian fighters in and around Gaza City, more than six weeks after invading Gaza’s north following the militants’ Oct. 7 attack.

President Biden offers a harder-than-usual assessment of Israel’s decisions since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas and the moves by the conservative government.

He said the next phase would be lower-intensity fighting against ‘pockets of resistance’ and would require Israeli troops to maintain their freedom of operation.

Israel is facing international outrage over its military offensive, which has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians, with diplomatic support and arms from the U.S.