The US is in talks with Israel and Egypt on a safe passage for civilians in Gaza as Israel bombs the enclosure following a deadly Hamas attack over the weekend, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday.
At the press briefing, Suvillan told reporters that “without getting into the specifics of safe passage for civilians and so forth, I will say it’s something that the US government is seized with in supporting how we do that operationally.” “There are consultations ongoing, and I’ll share more when I have an update for you,” he added.
Suvillan stated that the US had discussions with Israelis and Egyptians on how to deal with the challenge of people seeking to leave Gaza. “That is something we are focused on and we are working on. And I want to leave those conversations in diplomatic channels, at least for the moment,” he added.
Speaking about relations with Israel, Sullivan said, “It’s important that we be able to talk to the Israelis in the way that we always do — as good friends, as honest friends — and we will continue to do that.”
Concerning civilian casualties in Gaza, Sullivan stated, “We do not deliberately target civilians.” “We work to make sure that our military operations are conducted consistent with the rule of law and the law of war,” he added.
In this moment, we must be clear:
— President Biden (@POTUS) October 10, 2023
We stand with Israel.
And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, to defend itself, and to respond to this attack. pic.twitter.com/wV3oDeoPiT
Biden Supports Israel
US President Joe Biden called the Hamas militant group’s murderous attack on Israel “terrorism” and emphasised the US support for Israelis mourning the deaths of over 1,000 people.
Biden, in his opening remarks, said, “The bloody hands of the terrorist organisation Hamas — a group whose stated purpose for being is to kill Jews. This was an act of sheer evil.”
Supporting Israel, Biden stated, “We stand with Israel. And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and respond to this attack.” He stressed that there is no justification for terrorism.
Biden believes Hamas does not support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. Its proclaimed goal is to destroy the State of Israel and to kill Jewish people. “They use Palestinian civilians as human shields,” he remarked.
In a phone conversation on Tuesday, Biden pointed out to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that militants actively attack citizens, but democracies like the US and Israel are “stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law.”
Biden described reports of “parents butchered,” “babies being killed,” “entire families slain,” and “women raped, assaulted, and paraded as trophies” as “stomach-turning.”
Additionally, Biden’s administration is closely working with Congress. Biden claimed that when Congress returns, they will ask them to take immediate action to fund our essential partners’ national security needs. “This is not about party or politics. This is about the security of our world, the security of the United States of America,” he explained.
In concluding remarks, Biden declared, “And let there be no doubt: The United States has Israel’s back. We will make sure the Jewish and democratic State of Israel can defend itself today, tomorrow, as we always have.”