Biden urges Israeli military to focus on saving civilian lives in Gaza conflict
Washington CNN — President Joe Biden has called on the Israeli military to prioritize the protection of civilian lives as it continues its campaign to eliminate Hamas. With mounting pressure over the Israeli military operations in Gaza, Biden wants to ensure that the fight against Hamas is conducted with more precision to avoid further civilian casualties.
Following his speech on prescription drug prices at the National Institutes of Health, Biden said he wants the Israeli government to be careful and more focused on saving civilian lives in Gaza. He stressed the importance of not stopping the crackdown on Hamas, but conducting it in a more precise and cautious manner.
Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, is currently meeting with top Israeli officials to push for a more targeted approach in its operations against Hamas in Gaza. The visit comes after a public disagreement between Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza and the vision for a future for Palestinians post-conflict.
Sullivan has been discussing transitioning the Israeli assault on Hamas to lower-intensity operations in the near future to minimize civilian deaths. The Biden administration has signaled to Israel that it wants to see a shift in strategy within weeks, potentially by the end of the year.
The US officials have been pressing Israel to take steps to protect civilians while going after Hamas leadership. They have advised Israel to adopt a more intelligence-based and precise approach against Hamas, with a focus on minimizing collateral damage.
However, Netanyahu stated that he would only be satisfied with total victory against Hamas, emphasizing Israel’s determination to continue fighting until Hamas is completely eliminated.
The talks between US and Israeli officials continue, with much focus on the conditions set for transitioning to a new phase of the conflict, as well as discussions around hostage release efforts.
Sullivan also met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prior to arriving in Israel to discuss strategies for dealing with the conflict.
As the conflict has resulted in mounting civilian casualties, both the US and Israel are engaged in conversations to ensure a more targeted approach in efforts against Hamas to protect civilians in the region.