“The answer is it's uncertain and has been investigated by the Israelis themselves,” Biden said during an interview with Time Magazine which also broached on the US’s position and foreign policy toward several global crises.

The remarks came a little over a week after Israel carried out an attack on a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, triggering a wave of international condemnation.

The attack killed 45 Palestinian civilians and wounded around 250 others.

When asked if he had spoken to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since the attack, Biden said: “I have not spoken with Bibi since.”

Bibi is the nickname for the Israeli PM who faces the threat of an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court for committing war crimes in Gaza.

In this context, Biden reiterated that the US and Israel do not recognize the ICC's jurisdiction.

When asked if Israel was intentionally starving Palestinians in Gaza, Biden said: “No, I don't think that. I think they've engaged in activity that is inappropriate.”

Biden also said the main reason he was pushing for a ceasefire was the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza.

“And by the way, I’ve been calling for—we should have a ceasefire, period. And to get those hostages. That’s the main reason why we push. Both the Israelis desperately want a ceasefire in order to get the hostages home,” a transcript of the interview published on Time’s website read.

The US president also stressed the need for "a transition to a two-state solution," noting that this was his "biggest disagreement with Netanyahu."

He added that a ceasefire would help “break the momentum” in Israel’s war on Gaza.

Since 7 October, Israel's war has killed nearly 36,000 Palestinians and wounded 80,000 others, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Israel's siege has pushed more than half of the population to the brink of famine, with people in north Gaza already living under "famine-like conditions."