Washington DC, United States

A scaled-down iftar dinner was hosted by the White House on Tuesday (April 2) to celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. 

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The event happened after President Joe Biden's invitation was turned down by some invitees who were part of the Muslim community and were against his policies about the Israel-Gaza war.

President Biden held talks with the Muslim leaders and later had a small dinner with senior Muslim officials, who were part of his administration. Biden was accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband.

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"President Biden will host a meeting with Muslim community leaders to discuss issues of importance to the community," said the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, while speaking to the reporters on Tuesday (April 2) before the gathering, as she explained that these leaders will rather have a meeting than a dinner.

The White House "adjusted the format to be responsive," Jean-Pierre said. 

Muslim leaders turn Biden critic amid Gaza war

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One of the attendees was an emergency room doctor Dr Thaer Ahmad who was in Gaza for at least three weeks.

While speaking to CNN, he said that he walked out of the meeting on Tuesday (April 2) before it ended.

"Out of respect for my community, out of respect for all of the people who have suffered and who have been killed in the process, I needed to walk out of the meeting," said Ahmad.

Ahmad, who claimed that he was the only Palestinian-American present in the meeting, said "there wasn't a lot of response" from Biden. "He actually said he understood, and I walked away," said Ahmad, while speaking to CNN.

The event appears starkly different from the reception hosted by Biden last May to mark the end of Ramadan. Various attendees cheered Biden at the White House when he told them, "It's your house."

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Muslim members of Congress, who were part of that event, were Rashida Tlaib, who is Palestinian American and Representative Ilhan Omar. They have turned into the biggest critics of Biden's Gaza policy.

Emgage Action, a Muslim American advocacy group, refused to attend the dinner, citing Biden's "continued unconditional military aid to Israel," which they say has led to a "humanitarian catastrophe of epic proportions."

(With inputs from agencies)