The White House defends Israel and affirms that the war against Hamas is not a 'genocide'
The statement comes at a time of tension between the United States and its main ally in the Middle East.
(AFP)
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden does not consider Israel's military offensive against the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza to be a “genocide,” as critics of the Israeli state denounce.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Sullivan said the United States wants to see Hamas terrorists defeated and also noted that Palestinians are trapped in “hell” because of the war, with Hamas hiding among civilians.
“We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. We have been firmly on record rejecting that proposition,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan also said it would be a mistake for Israel to carry out a major military operation in the city of Rafah. This position, adopted by the Biden administration recently, has caused tensions between the United States and its main ally in the Middle East.
President Joe Biden even threatened to stop the shipment of weapons to Israel if Israeli forces advanced towards Rafah with a massive military operation.
The national security adviser also called on the international community to pressure Hamas to return to the negotiating table and accept a ceasefire agreement through the release of Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza.
In that sense, Sullivan said Washington is working hard to achieve a ceasefire and a hostage release agreement. However, there is no certainty about a potential date for this agreement to be sealed.
So far, Gaza health authorities, which serve as Hamas's propaganda arm, report that 35,000 Palestinians have died during the war. However, the figures cannot be independently verified.
Within these figures, the Gaza health authorities include Hamas terrorists who were killed by Israeli forces and also Palestinian civilians who have died from deflected or misdirected rockets launched by the terrorist organization itself.
Furthermore, the IDF says that 15,000 terrorist operatives have been killed in Gaza during its military offensive following the October 7 attacks.
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