The White House condemns Israel's operations in southern Gaza, but Netanyahu assures that they are “making a maximum effort” to protect civilians

The Biden Administration expressed its disagreement with the operations that Israel is carrying out in the southern part of Gaza out of concern about the danger faced by the civilian population. However, Israel says it is doing its utmost to protect civilians amid the conflict.

Fighting between Israel and Hamas resumed on Friday after the end of the truce between both sides. Since then, the Israeli army has been mobilizing in southern Gaza to continue its fight against the terrorist group.

The decision of the Jewish State does not make the Biden Administration happy. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed that the White House does not support Israeli military actions in that region until adequate protection of civilians is ensured.

Kirby explained that many civilians went to the southern area to take refuge from the conflict, so Israel should take into account all the people who are there right now.

"I don't want to get into whether there [are] safe zones called for or what that could look like, but we certainly want to see [Israel] pursue these operations in a way that properly accounts for that civilian population, and [that], to the maximum degree that it can, inoculate[s] them from these combat operations, so that they're not in harm's way, that they're not caught in the crossfire between Israel and Hamas," he said.

Israel assures that it is doing its best

Mark Regev, advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisted that his target remains Hamas and not the civilians of Gaza, which is why he assured that his country is doing everything possible so that civilians are not caught in the crossfire.

"Israel is targeting Hamas, a brutal terrorist organization that has committed the most horrific violence against innocent civilians. Israel is making a maximum effort to safeguard Gaza's civilians," he said. "As we move in now to crush Hamas, we will in parallel, continue to facilitate humanitarian support for the people of Gaza. And that is part of our credo. That is part of our strategic goal. Once again, we will do everything we can to keep Gazans, civilians outside of the crossfire between the IDF and the terrorists. And we will do everything to facilitate that. That population receives water, medicine, food, shelter," he added.