The US government expects a transition from the “high-intensity” ground offensive in the Gaza Strip to “more targeted” military operations, following talks with the Israeli leadership. There was never any expectation that there would be a major destructive operation on the ground indefinitely, a senior US government official in Tel Aviv said yesterday.
The aim is for Israel to focus more closely on specific targets and military infrastructure in the future. He spoke about US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's meetings in Israel – including with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. That transition was a theme in them.
Report: The US is said to have called for an end to the ground offensive
However, the US government official did not give a deadline for the transition. “It's not really about deadlines, it's about the conditions set, and the Israelis have briefed us in detail on the phases of their global campaign,” he said.
The New York Times previously reported that Washington had called on Israel to end its ground offensive in Gaza by the end of the year. The administration official did not specifically address that report, but said, “There have been some reports about the timing and I have to say they are not entirely accurate.”