The aid workers’ deaths have punctuated the heavy civilian death toll in the war. And the situation has pushed the Democrats’ divides over the war more into the open. While Biden has sought to pair rather unequivocal support for Israel with the occasional harsh words for its leadership’s prosecution of the war, members of his party are clearly losing patience with that approach...

It appears to be having some impact, with Biden for the first time Thursday suggesting a potential change in U.S. policy if Israel doesn’t do more to address humanitarian problems and protect aid workers...

The problem is that the American people, writ large, and many Democratic officeholders are still more aligned with Israel. Any action that Biden takes to truly get tough on a top U.S. ally and shore up his base could come at a cost with the broader electorate. It could also lay bare the divisions in his own party.