When asked why the United States has officially recognized genocide in Sudan, but avoids such a term in the case of Gaza, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby emphasized that genocide does not occur in the coastal enclave.
“The Israel Defense Forces don’t wake up every morning and put their feet on the floor and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to go out and kill some innocent people because they happen to be Palestinians,'” Kirby said at a news conference.
He noted that the number of civilian casualties in this conflict is indeed a matter of grave concern, and the United States has openly expressed its concerns to its Israeli counterparts.
“We have been nothing but straightforward with our Israeli counterparts about our concerns about this and about trying to get them… to be more discerning about civilian casualties in Gaza. They are unacceptably high… but this is not the same as saying “genocide,” he explained.
Kirby also stressed that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his organization acted with “genocidal intent,” which he said became apparent during the Oct. 7 attack.
In addition, Kirby mentioned the participation of Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s special envoy, in the negotiations in Qatar.
“If an agreement cannot be reached before the change of administration, the Trump team will continue to work in this direction,” he added.
Earlier, Kursor reported that Israel and the United States are developing a common plan for a tough response to the Yemeni Houthis.