WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has stated that he has “no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using” for the death toll in Gaza, where the health ministry says over 6,500 have been killed in Israeli attacks, Reuters reports.

Biden was asked at a White House press conference whether the death count, which the ministry says includes some 2,700 children, meant Israel was ignoring US appeals to reduce civilian deaths in its bombardment of the coastal enclave.

“What they say to me is I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed, and it’s the price of waging a war,” Biden said.

“(The) Israelis should be incredibly careful to be sure that they’re focusing on going after the folks that (are) propagating this war against Israel. And it’s against their interest when that doesn’t happen,” Biden added.

“But I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using.” Biden did not say why he was skeptical of the Palestinian figures.

At a joint press conference with US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the bond between the two countries was crucial in an “uncertain world”.

“The relationship between Australia and the United States has never been more important. And it has never been stronger than it is right now,” he said.

The two leaders also addressed the Israel-Hamas conflict and the war in Ukraine. Both countries are providing military aid to Kyiv and humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, while the US is supplying weapons to Israel.

Biden said both nations were “standing with Israel against Hamas terrorism” and “standing with Ukraine against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s tyranny.” Albanese said, “All Australians condemn the atrocities, terror and pitiless brutality of Hamas”