The United States said on Sunday that Israel must take all necessary measures to achieve “distinction” between Hamas and Palestinian civilians in its military operations, as the Israeli army intensifies its bombings and ground operations in the Gaza Strip.
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“We believe that every hour and every day of this military operation, the Israeli government should use all measures at its disposal to distinguish between Hamas – terrorists who are legitimate military targets – and civilians who are not,” Das said White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on CNN.
“That’s the advice we give them. That is what we communicate and we continue to do so at the highest levels,” he added, specifying that President Joe Biden would meet again with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.
The two leaders have spoken almost daily since the start of the war, which was unleashed on Israeli soil after Hamas’s unprecedented bloody attack on October 7. According to authorities, this attack has since claimed 1,400 lives, mostly civilians.
In retaliation, the Israeli army is relentlessly bombarding the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas since 2007, and besieging this narrow Palestinian territory where some 2.4 million Palestinians are crowded.
More than 8,000 Palestinians, “half of them children,” have been killed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, the Hamas Ministry of Health said on Saturday night.
Mr Sullivan also noted on ABC that Hamas was “doing everything in its power to put people in harm’s way and use them as human shields” but “it is up to Israel to take the necessary measures to stop this.” do.” Difference between Hamas, which does not represent the Palestinian people and innocent Palestinian civilians.
He also said Israel should favor “targeted operations.” The United States is Israel’s main supporter and provides significant military assistance.