US decries IDF strike in Rafah, urges Israel to prioritise civilian safety

Washington, DC : National Security Council's Strategic Communications Coordinator, John Kirby condemned the recent Israel Defence Forces (IDF) strike in Rafah, expressing profound sorrow over the loss of innocent lives, including children.

In a statement, Kirby said, "These devastating images and reports coming out of Rafah over the weekend following an IDF strike that killed dozens of innocent Palestinians, including children. You've all seen the images and they're heartbreaking. They're horrific."

He emphasised the need to prevent any innocent casualties in the conflict, stressing, "There should be no innocent life lost here as a result of this conflict." While recognising Israel's right to target Hamas, Kirby underscored the imperative for Israel to prioritise the protection of civilians. He stated, "But as we've also said many times, Israel must take every precaution possible to do more to protect innocent lives."

Kirby revealed that the strike had targeted two senior Hamas terrorists but reiterated the importance of avoiding civilian casualties. Addressing concerns about a potential major ground operation in Rafah, Kirby stated, "...We still don't believe that a major ground operation in Rafah is warranted." He expressed apprehension about large-scale military actions, stating, "We still don't want to see the Israelis, smash into Rafah with large units over large pieces of territory." 

Kirby assured that the US government was closely monitoring the situation and engaging with Israeli defence forces to gather more information. He concluded by emphasising the tragic nature of every loss of innocent life, stating, "I want to just end this answer by making it very clear that regardless, every single loss of innocent life is tragic, and every single loss of innocent life should be prevented as much as possible."

The White House affirmed on Tuesday that US President Joe Biden's policy towards Israel remains unchanged despite a deadly strike in Rafah on Sunday that resulted in the deaths of over 45 individuals, CNN reported.

This suggests that the incident has not yet crossed a red line that would prompt alterations in American support. Palestinian authorities reported that at least 29 people were killed on Tuesday in two Israeli strikes on displacement camps in southern Gaza.

Eyewitnesses informed CNN that Israeli tanks were observed in central Rafah for the first time, indicating that Israel's assault persists despite global criticism. Furthermore, US officials disclosed that the temporary pier constructed by the US military to deliver aid into Gaza collapsed in heavy seas on Tuesday, posing a significant setback to the American-led initiative to establish a maritime corridor for humanitarian supplies, CNN reported.

(ANI)