US Biden: "Israel Ground Operation, Civilians Must Be Protected" (Comprehensive)

As Israel declared the second phase of its war against Hamas and began full-scale ground operations in the Gaza Strip, the United States urged minimizing harm to Palestinian civilians.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

According to the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden stated on the 29th (local time) during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel has the right and responsibility to protect its citizens from 'terrorism.' He also emphasized that international humanitarian law, which prioritizes the protection of civilians, must be followed during this process.

This reaffirmed the United States' basic stance supporting Israel's limited ground operations and airstrikes in Gaza against Hamas, while expressing concern over preventing an increase in civilian casualties. This consideration appears to reflect the possibility that if civilian casualties in Gaza rise, international public opinion could turn negative not only toward Israel but also toward the U.S., which supports Israel.

Since the 27th, the Israeli military, which has been expanding its ground troop deployment in the Gaza Strip, again urged Palestinian residents to evacuate on this day. This has been analyzed as a final warning ahead of a large-scale operation.

On the same day, Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, said in an interview with CNN, "The overwhelming majority of people in Gaza are innocent individuals whose lives must be protected," adding, "Every hour during the military operation, the Israeli military and government must use all possible means to distinguish between terrorists, who are legitimate military targets, and civilians who are not."

President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu also discussed efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. The U.S. maintains that hostage release is a top priority. Additionally, the White House stated that President Biden expressed the need to expand humanitarian aid for civilians in the Gaza Strip.

As Israel’s limited ground operations intensify, concerns are growing that Iran, Lebanon, and others might directly intervene in this war. President Biden, during a call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on the same day, explained U.S. efforts to prevent the conflict in Gaza from spreading, signaling caution against the possibility of escalation in the Middle East. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stated in a phone call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that it is necessary to engage with regional leaders to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from expanding.