President Joe Biden is asking Israel to reduce the intensity of operations against the terrorist organization Hamas in the near future, according to the White House.
National security adviser Jake Sullivan is in Israel to convey this message, White House spokesperson John Kirby said during a White House briefing on Thursday. His visit comes as tensions between the United States and Israel have risen over the conflict and the future of the Palestinian people.
Mr. Sullivan met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss the war’s progress and the possibility of shifting to lower-intensity operations, Mr. Kirby said, without providing a precise timeline….
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant confidently stated that the duration of our campaign will extend beyond several months. He emphasized our determination to emerge victorious and eradicate our adversaries. During a meeting with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Sullivan discussed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the transition of Israel’s military operations from high-intensity to a more focused and precise phase. While Sullivan did not disclose a specific timeframe or provide details on the nature of these operations, he did mention that Israel is anticipated to sustain its military campaign for an extended period.
Sullivan emphasized the crucial question of when Israel will transition from its current high-intensity military operations to a more focused and precise phase in this conflict. He expressed the need for the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip to be united under a reinvigorated Palestinian Authority government. During his visit to Ramallah, Sullivan plans to address the revitalization of the Palestinian Authority and ensure that “extremist” Jewish settlers are held responsible for any acts of violence against Palestinians.
U.S. President Joe Biden was questioned about his stance on Israel’s assault on the Gaza Strip and whether he wanted them to scale it back by the end of the year. In response, President Biden emphasized the importance of prioritizing the protection of civilian lives over halting the pursuit of Hamas, urging Israel to exercise caution in their operations.
For several weeks, Washington has been urging Israel to take further measures to safeguard the civilian population residing in Gaza, which is home to approximately 2.3 million people.
Israel initiated its campaign in response to a violent incursion by Hamas, an Iran-backed group that governs Gaza. In this raid on October 7th, Hamas fighters killed 1,200 Israelis and took 240 individuals hostage.
Since then, Israeli forces have laid siege to the coastal strip, causing extensive destruction. Palestinian health officials report that nearly 19,000 people have been confirmed dead, with thousands more feared to be buried beneath the rubble.
In the Rafah area, where makeshift tents are crowded with people on Gaza’s southern border, mourners gathered at a morgue near bodies wrapped in bloodied shrouds. Residents sorrowfully sifted through the debris of neighboring homes belonging to the Abu Dhbaa and Ashour families, where 26 individuals were tragically killed, according to Gaza health authorities.
Fadel Shabaan, a neighbor who rushed to the scene after the bombing, described the challenging conditions amidst the dust and the anguished cries of people. He emphasized that the area targeted was a safe camp, devoid of any significant threat, where children often played soccer in the streets.
Amid concerns of Islamist threats related to the ongoing war, authorities in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands have apprehended seven individuals, including four suspected members of Hamas, on suspicion of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions.
However, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri has refuted these claims, asserting that no Hamas members were arrested. He believes that these reports are merely an attempt to undermine support for Palestinians in Europe.
In another potential repercussion of the conflict, Danish company Maersk has announced that one of its cargo ships was targeted by a missile near Yemen. Fortunately, the vessel remained unharmed, contradicting the allegation made by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement that they had conducted a drone strike on a Maersk ship en route to Israel.
According to maritime security company Ambrey, a Bulgarian-owned bulk carrier flying the Maltese flag was reportedly boarded in the Arabian Sea close to the Yemeni island of Socotra.
Yemen’s Houthi group, which has been warning cargo ships in the Red Sea to avoid traveling towards Israel, has been targeting vessels and launching drones and missiles at Israel since the commencement of the Gaza war.
The majority of Gaza’s population has been displaced from their homes, often multiple times.
The United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency has reported that hungry individuals are resorting to stopping trucks and consuming food aid immediately. Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s head, expressed concern, stating, “We are encountering more and more people who have gone without food for one, two, or even three days.”
Residents of Gaza have described the desperate measures they are taking to feed their families, including begging for bread, paying exorbitant prices for basic food items, and even resorting to slaughtering a donkey for sustenance.
Israel has expanded its ground campaign from the northern regions to the southern areas this month.
In the city of Khan Younis, located in the south, Israeli forces have reached the city center after bombing an entire city block overnight. While most residents had evacuated following Israeli warnings, some neighbors, armed with only a hand shovel, believed that four people were still trapped inside. Sadly, only one body was recovered.
Nesmah al-Byouk, who had fled her home three days ago, returned to the ruins and expressed her anguish, saying, “May God seek revenge on them.”
