Israel instructed by Joe Biden to safeguard the “exposed and vulnerable” Rafah inhabitants

According to the US president, Israel shouldn’t assault the city on a large scale “without a realistic plan for protecting the protection” of the local population.

Before beginning a military campaign in Rafah, US President Joe Biden stated that Israel must have a strategy to guarantee the security of the approximately one million individuals seeking sanctuary there.

The White House disclosed that he shared this with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday during their 45-minute conversation.

According to the report, the major topic of discussion was the continuous attempts to obtain the release of the 132 captives that Hamas is still holding in Gaza.

Biden said on Monday that Israel shouldn’t invade Rafah in its whole “without a realistic plan for safeguarding the safety” of the local population. Many people are “exposed and vulnerable,” he claimed.

John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated that although Israel has “legitimate military goals” in Rafah, they must make sure that their actions are intended to save the lives of innocent people.

Biden brought King Abdullah II of Jordan to Washington, DC, the same day, for discussions about how to conclude the war and make post-war plans.

The US president declared that “every innocent life lost in Gaza is a tragedy” and vowed to “do everything necessary” to bring about an accord that would see the release of the remaining Hamas detainees and a minimum six-week ceasefire in hostilities.

“The essential components of the agreement are on the table, even though there are still gaps,” he continued.

As he brought up the situation of the tens of thousands of people who have been killed and injured in the battle, Abdullah stated that Biden’s leadership was “essential to addressing this crisis.”

The king declared, “We need a long-term cease-fire today.” “We must put a stop to this conflict.”

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, Israel’s onslaught has resulted in over 28,000 Palestinian deaths in the region, forced over 80% of the population to flee, and sparked a severe humanitarian catastrophe.

The bulk of those slain, according to the organization, are women and children. It makes no distinction between militants and civilians. Israel says it has eliminated around ten thousand Hamas fighters.

Biden continued, saying he and the king talked about how the Palestinian Authority, which has some authority over some areas of the West Bank, needs to “urgently reform” in order to be prepared to take over some authority in Gaza in the event that Hamas is overthrown. Biden has expressed hope for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“They have to get ready to establish a state that supports peace and doesn’t give sanctuary to terrorist organizations like Islamic Jihad and Hamas,” stated Biden.

“Separation of the West Bank and Gaza cannot be recognized,” Abdullah said.

Israel claims that about 100 captives are still held by Hamas, even though many were set free during the cease-fire in November.

The bones of about thirty other people, who either perished in captivity or were slain on October 7, are also kept at Hamas.

Source:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/joe-biden-israel-rafah-palestine-civilians-b1138762.html

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