05/29/2024May 29, 2024
Israel not engaging in ‘major ground operation’ in Rafah — White House
The White House said that Israel has not yet reached the stage of a “major ground operation” in Rafah that would prompt a change in US policy.
“We have not seen them smash into Rafah,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said, referring to Israeli forces.
“We have not seen them go in with large units, large numbers of troops in columns and formations in some sort of coordinated maneuver against multiple targets on the ground,” he said.
“That is a major ground operation. We have not seen that.”
Kirby insisted that Israeli forces were not active in Rafah, but along a corridor outside of the border city.
“These tanks are moving along a corridor that they have told us previously that they would use on the outskirts of the town to try to put pressure on Hamas,” he said.
“I don’t know how anybody could dispute that they were trying to go after Hamas in a targeted precise way,” Kirby stressed.
His remarks came amid reports that Israeli forces were seen in the center of Rafah.
has warned Israel against launching a large-scale offensive in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, saying Washington could suspend arms deliveries if Israel does so without a credible plan to protect civilians.
On Sunday, , killing 45 people, according to authorities in Gaza. The strike prompted international condemnation.
sdi/fb (AFP, AP, Reuters, dpa, EFE)
The post Israel-Hamas war: No ‘major ground operation’ in Rafah — US appeared first on Deutsche Welle.