President Joe Biden on Wednesday said America would remain steadfast in its commitment to Israel’s defence amid Iranian threats of what he called a “significant attack” in recent days.

       Speaking alongside Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio during a joint press conference in the White House Rose Garden, Mr Biden said he and the Japanese leader discussed “developments in the mideast including our shared support for a cease fire and a hostage deal, and urgent efforts to deal with the humanitarian crisis that exists in Gaza”.

       He also said he and Mr Kishida both wanted to “address the threat” posed by Iran and said Tehran is “threatening to launch a significant attack on Israel”.

       “As I told prime minister Netanyahu, our commitment to Israel’s security against these threats from Iran and their proxies is ironclad ... we’re going to do all we can to protect Israel’s security,” Mr Biden said.

       The president’s reaffirmation of America’s defence commitment to Israel comes as a growing chorus of US lawmakers — including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — are calling on him to condition future defence assistance to Israel on whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government allows an appropriate amount of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip and takes steps to protect civilians as he continues his country’s six-month-old war against Hamas.

       Mr Biden told reporters he has been “very blunt and straightforward” in his talks with the Israeli leader during what he described as a “long conversation” the two men had last week after a series of Israeli drone attacks killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers.

       He said Mr Netanyahu had agreed to work towards “getting more aid of both food and medicine into Gaza” and “reducing significantly” the number of civilian casualties during Israeli attacks on Hamas positions.

       He said Hamas must decide whether to accept a proposal for the release of hostages and a cease-fire put forth by CIA Director Bill Burns during negotiations in Qatar.

       “They need to move on the proposal, and ... get these hostages home where they belong,” he said.

       Currently, a US defence aid package containing funds for both Israel and Ukraine is held up in the House of Representatives as extremist Republicans led by Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have threatened to move to depose House Speaker Mike Johnson if he allows lawmakers to take an up-or-down vote on the proposal.

       Mr Biden said there is “overwhelming support” for the Ukraine aid bill among both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.

       “There should be a vote now,” he said.