EYAD BABA Eya/AFP via Getty Images
World
Israel strikes Rafah as pressure mounts over war in Gaza: Live updates
12:32 p.m. ET, May 27, 2024
White House calls Rafah strike “heartbreaking” while emphasizing deaths of Hamas leaders
EYAD BABA Eya/AFP via Getty Images
An Israeli strike in Rafah that left dozens of civilians dead is “heartbreaking,” a National Security Council spokesperson said on Monday, adding the US was “actively engaging” with officials in Israel to determine what precisely happened.
“The devastating images following the IDF strike in Rafah last night that killed dozens of innocent Palestinians are heartbreaking,” the spokesperson, who went unnamed, said in a statement. “Israel has a right to go after Hamas, and we understand this strike killed two senior Hamas terrorists who are responsible for attacks against Israeli civilians,” the statement went on. “But as we’ve been clear, Israel must take every precaution possible to protect civilians.”
Remember: The US has repeatedly warned Israel against a large-scale ground invasion of Rafah without a plan to protect the million-plus civilians who are sheltering there.
Speaking following a visit to Israel last week, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he had detected “refinements” to Israel’s plan, which he said was now more “targeted and limited” in scale.