Biden warns Netanyahu escalation in the West Bank could increase Gaza war crisis

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President Biden said Wednesday he is alarmed by reports of "extremist settlers" attacking Palestinians in the occupied West Bank — attacks he said are "pouring gasoline on the fire" as U.S. and Israeli officials try to contain the war between Israel and Hamas.

Biden's remarks at the White House follow his private warnings to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the growing tension in the West Bank could escalate the already complicated war in Gaza, two U.S. officials briefed on the issue told Axios.

Behind the scenes: The U.S. officials said that in phone calls with Netanyahu, Biden has expressed concern about settler violence and the growing number of Palestinians who have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank since Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel ignited the war.

More than 100 Palestinians have been killed there since the war began, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.Many of the Palestinians were armed militants, but others were civilians. At least five of the civilians were killed in attacks by Israeli settlers, the Israeli Ministry of Defense reports.Biden told Netanyahu that Israel needs to calm the situation in the West Bank and prevent settler violence against Palestinians — or else risk an explosion of violence there that would make the current crisis even worse, the officials said.The White House and the Israeli prime minister's office declined to discuss the conversations between Biden and Netanyahu.