White House Says No Breach in Rafah Red Line Despite Global Condemnation
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "This so far is a different type of military operation," differentiating the current situation in Rafah from previous offensives in cities such as Khan Younis and Gaza City.
“We will continue to emphasize to Israel their obligation to comply fully with international humanitarian law, minimize the impact of their operations on civilians, and maximize the flow of humanitarian assistance to those in need,” Miller said.
The briefing on Tuesday followed a ruling by the International Court of Justice demanding an immediate cessation of the Israeli offensive in Rafah. The Israeli regime, however, persisted with its operations, leading to a significant number of casualties following airstrikes against a tent camp in Rafah's Tel al-Sultan neighborhood on Sunday.
The brutal attack, which claimed the lives of at least 45 displaced Palestinians, drew widespread condemnation from world leaders and international organizations.
The White House's language regarding the Rafah operations has been under close scrutiny since President Biden's earlier warning about withholding arms transfers to Israel if it targeted population centers in Rafah.
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Despite this, insiders suggest the administration is reluctant to enforce the red line strictly.
White House spokesperson John Kirby stated that the administration is not applying "a measuring stick here or a quota" to determine if the red line has been breached, noting that the recent bombing did not trigger a suspension of arms transfers.
"We've also said we don't want to see a major ground operation in Rafah that would really make it hard for the Israelis to go after Hamas without causing extensive damage and potentially a large number of deaths. We have not seen that yet,” he added.
The situation has led to vocal criticism from progressive members of the US political sphere, with Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib, among others, denouncing the actions and challenging the administration's stance on military aid to the Israeli regime.
Ocasio-Cortez slammed the strike as “an indefensible atrocity," urging Biden "to live up to his word and suspend military aid.”
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“Genocidal maniac Netanyahu told us he wants to ethically cleanse Palestinians. When are you going to believe him @POTUS,” Tlaib wrote on X.
"Horrific and gut wrenching images coming out of Rafah last night," Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley said, asking, "How much longer will the US stand by while the Israeli military slaughters and mutilates Palestinian babies?”
The Israeli aggression on Gaza since October has killed over 36,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Thousands more are believed to be buried under the rubble of buildings razed by the Israeli bombs.
Source: Agencies
