By AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has instructed Israel that it should work to keep away from “significant further displacement” of Palestinian civilians in southern Gaza if it renews its floor marketing campaign aimed toward eradicating the Hamas militant group, senior U.S. officers mentioned.
The Democratic administration, in search of to keep away from extra large-scale civilian casualties or mass displacement like that seen earlier than the present short-term pause within the preventing, underscored to the Israelis that they have to function with far better precision in southern Gaza than they did within the north, the officers mentioned, briefing reporters on situation of anonymity underneath floor guidelines set by the White House.
Amid mounting worldwide and home strain concerning the rising Palestinian demise toll, the White House has begun to place better strain on Israel that the style of the approaching marketing campaign should be “carefully thought through,” based on one of many officers. The Israelis have been receptive when administration officers have raised these issues, the official mentioned.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made clear that Israeli Defense Forces will finally restart navy operations after the conclusion of the present, short-term cease-fire that has allowed for an change of hostages taken by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The two sides agreed Monday to increase the truce for an extra two days and to proceed swapping hostages for prisoners.
President Joe Biden has mentioned he wish to see the pause — which has additionally allowed a surge of much-needed humanitarian assist to get into Gaza — proceed so long as possible. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will return this week to the Middle East because the U.S. hopes to discover a technique to prolong the cease-fire and get extra hostages launched, the State Department mentioned Monday. It can be his third journey to the area since Israel’s warfare with Hamas started final month.
Meanwhile, CIA Director William Burns and David Barnea, the pinnacle of Israel’s Mossad intelligence company, in addition to Egyptian officers met in Qatar on Tuesday for talks on the identical matter, based on a diplomatic official who spoke on the situation of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
Still, Biden and prime officers have additionally been clear-eyed about Israel’s want to proceed operations targeted on Hamas that during the last seven weeks have largely targeted on the north. They have mentioned they help Israel’s aim of eliminating Hamas’ management over Gaza and the menace it poses to Israeli civilians, however have grown extra vocal about the necessity to defend the lives of Palestinian civilians. Hamas has been recognized to hunt shelter among the many territory’s civilian inhabitants, and Israeli officers have launched movies from northern Gaza of what they mentioned are weapons stockpiles and firing areas positioned amongst civilian infrastructure.
More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed for the reason that warfare started on Oct. 7, roughly two-thirds of them ladies and minors, based on the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 folks have been killed on the Israeli facet, principally civilians killed within the preliminary assault. At least 77 troopers have been killed in Israel’s floor offensive.
The U.S. believes roughly 2 million Palestinians at the moment are in south and central Gaza. Biden administration officers have made clear to the Israelis that an already stretched humanitarian help community can be unable to deal with the form of displacement that these from northern Gaza have endured in Israel’s retaliatory strikes and floor operations.
Biden administration officers have additionally instructed the Israelis they anticipate them to conduct operations in a approach that can be “maximally deconflicted” with the operation of humanitarian assist amenities, United Nations-supported shelters and core infrastructure, together with electrical energy and water.
The World Health Organization has warned that the warfare has prompted a burgeoning public well being disaster that may be a recipe for epidemics as displaced Palestinians have been pressured to take shelter in cramped properties and camps.
One administration official mentioned vaccines are among the many medical items flowing into Gaza, however there has additionally been a concentrate on potable water provides and sanitation to stop outbreaks of typhoid and cholera. To that finish, the White House has additionally pushed to get as a lot gas into Gaza as attainable — one thing the Israelis resisted, notably within the first weeks of warfare, citing issues that it might be siphoned by Hamas.
The officers mentioned the U.S. on Tuesday would dispatch the primary of three U.S. navy humanitarian assist flights to northern Egypt carrying medical provides, meals assist and winter objects for Gaza’s civilian inhabitants. The assist is to be delivered into Gaza by the United Nations.
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Associated Press writers Isabel Debre in Jerusalem and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed reporting.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”