In a small private meeting held on Thursday, Muslim-American leaders expressed their concerns to President Joe Biden and his administration, urging them to demonstrate more empathy toward the lives of Palestinians. Two attendees revealed that the leaders also pushed back on Biden's recent comment questioning the civilian death figures provided by the health ministry in Gaza.

Described as frank and productive, the meeting centered around calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and addressed the frustrations within the Muslim-American community regarding the White House's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

President Biden was receptive to the concerns raised by the group and sought to clarify his comment about the death toll, emphasizing the distinction between Hamas and the Palestinian people. Attendees left the meeting with the belief that their message had been acknowledged by the president.

Muslim-Americans have been critical of the Biden administration's approach to the crisis in the Middle East since it began earlier this month. Accusations of demonstrating less empathy for Palestinians than Israelis have intensified, with some groups cautioning that this stance could become a political liability for the president as he seeks reelection. Many of these groups were instrumental in organizing door-to-door voting campaigns for Biden during the 2020 elections.

In response to these concerns, the White House has made efforts to engage with Muslim leaders and community advocates through meetings and phone calls involving administration officials. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently met with US leaders of Jewish, Arab, and Palestinian-American groups, and the National Security Council officials have also held meetings with Muslim-American leaders.

The growing concerns surrounding civilian casualties in Gaza and rising fears of Islamophobia in the United States have prompted not only Muslim-American leaders but also a number of President Biden's Democratic allies to amplify their voices. Former President Barack Obama issued a rare, extensive statement last week, warning about the potential long-term consequences of cutting off essential resources to Gaza.

President Biden has condemned attacks on Muslim-Americans and sought input from various communities while formulating his remarks on the conflict. As the crisis escalates, he and his team have increasingly expressed concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, acknowledging the need to protect civilian lives and provide essential aid to the region.

At a news conference earlier this week, Biden criticized the slow flow of aid into Gaza, emphasizing the urgent need for more substantial humanitarian assistance. Currently, only a limited number of trucks with essential supplies have been granted access to Gaza, leaving significant shortages in food, water, fuel, and medical supplies. Civilians in the area are trapped, unable to escape the dire conditions.

The White House has called for "humanitarian pauses" to facilitate the faster flow of aid into Gaza and allow civilians to leave. Efforts are also underway to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas, although the recent intense Israeli bombardment has complicated these endeavors.

During a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, President Biden stressed the importance of continuous humanitarian support to Gaza's civilian population and expressed support for increased aid in the coming period. However, it remains unclear whether the topic of "humanitarian pauses" was specifically discussed.

Nevertheless, Biden's comment regarding the Palestinian death figures provided by the Gaza health ministry drew condemnation from prominent Muslim-American groups. The Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Nihad Awad, called it dehumanizing and demanded an apology from the president, as well as condemnation of the Israeli government's alleged deliberate targeting of civilians.

In response, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby acknowledged the significant number of Palestinian civilian casualties resulting from Israel's bombardment of Gaza. He defended Biden's comments, stating that acknowledging civilian casualties in a war situation is a necessary part of being honest. Kirby emphasized the heinous actions of Hamas, including using civilians as human shields and carrying out attacks on innocent people.

In a statement published on Thursday, the health ministry in Gaza provided a detailed report listing thousands of documented deaths since October 7th that it attributed to Israeli strikes, in response to Biden's public questioning of their casualty figures.

During the private meeting held on Thursday, Muslim-American leaders expressed their concern about the lack of public compassion for Palestinian lives and criticized Biden's recent comments on the civilian death toll in Gaza. The leaders also called for increased engagement with Palestinians in the conflict.

President Biden appeared to be receptive to some of the concerns raised during the meeting. He sought to clarify his previous comment on civilian deaths and addressed the misconceptions surrounding it. The attendees expressed hope that the President and his administration would improve their discourse on the conflict, Palestinians, Muslims, Arabs, and the overall framing of the situation.

As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, the pressure on the Biden administration to address the concerns of Muslim-Americans and take a more empathetic stance toward Palestinians continues to mount.