On Israel-Hamas war, Biden goes where his top aides won't

President Biden has come out ahead of some of his own administration's official lines when it comes to the Israel-Hamas war, saying early on that another occupation of Gaza would be a mistake and this week suggesting he was open to the idea that he could ask for a ceasefire only if Hamas releases remaining hostages. Officials such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and national security spokesperson John Kirby have been carefully tiptoeing around questions regarding Israel's expected ground invasion into Gaza, humanitarian aid to Palestinians caught in a war zone and threats of a…