White House Says Israel's Actions in Rafah Are Acceptable

 

The US does not think Israel has started a full invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, said White House spokesman John Kirby. He spoke after Israeli forces reached the center of the city and took a key hill overlooking the border with Egypt. President Biden has said he would limit weapons supplies to Israel if it enters Rafah's "population centers," where many civilians are sheltering.

Kirby was also asked about an Israeli strike that killed at least 45 Palestinians, many women, children, or elderly, at a camp for displaced people on Sunday. Israel said the strike targeted and killed two senior Hamas officials and that the fire might have been caused by a nearby Hamas weapons store explosion. Kirby called the aftermath images "heartbreaking" and "horrific" and added, “There should be no innocent life lost here as a result of this conflict."

The US state department said it is closely watching for a quick and thorough investigation into the strike by the Israeli military. When pressed about whether previous investigations led to accountability, state department spokesman Matthew Miller did not name specific cases, saying, “You cannot reach a conclusion about the results of these investigations in the middle of a conflict.”

When asked if the strike violated President Biden's limits, Kirby said, “We don't support a major ground operation in Rafah.” He added, “The president said if that happens, it might make him reconsider support.” But he noted, “We haven't seen them go into Rafah with large units and formations against multiple targets.”

Israel insists it can't win the war against Hamas in Gaza without taking Rafah and rejects warnings of catastrophic humanitarian consequences. The IDF began “targeted” ground operations against Hamas in Rafah on May 6. Tanks and troops have since pushed into eastern and central areas and moved north along the border with Egypt.

On May 8, President Biden told CNN he warned Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu that "if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying weapons to deal with Rafah’s population centers." He said he hadn't suspended weapons supplies because Israel hadn't entered Rafah's population centers and was operating on the border.

Biden faces growing pressure at home to minimize the humanitarian impact of the conflict. Senator Chris Van Hollen told the Washington Post, “The escalating civilian death toll and deepening humanitarian catastrophe make clear that the Biden administration should pause additional offensive military assistance to Israel until all requests are respected.”

In an address to the Israeli parliament, Netanyahu called Sunday's strike a "tragic mishap" but vowed to continue the Rafah operation. Witnesses described the strike's aftermath as horrific, with many charred bodies and dismembered limbs.

The strike drew protests from Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The UN reported around a million people have fled Rafah, with several hundred thousand still sheltering there. Heavy bombardment of western districts was reported, and Israeli tanks were stationed at a key landmark. An eyewitness claimed Israeli soldiers were shooting at any movement, though this could not be independently verified.

UNRWA spokesman Sam Rose described an intensification of bombardments and military operations in Rafah, pushing further west into the Tal al-Sultan district, including a hit on a large UNRWA logistics base and health center. He noted, “These parts of the city have largely emptied out over the past 24 hours. So real concern, real numbness, real fear amongst the population right now.”