The Biden administration remains unwavering in its policy towards Israel, following a recent airstrike in Rafah. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby emphasized on Tuesday that there has been no shift in policy as the investigation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) into the incident continues.
During a press briefing, Kirby underscored the ongoing nature of the investigation. "As a result of this strike on Sunday, I have no policy changes to speak to. It just happened," Kirby told reporters. "The Israelis are going to investigate it. We’re going to be taking great interest in what they find in that investigation. And we’ll see where it goes from there."
Targeted Strike Neutralizes Senior Hamas Operatives
In a precision strike targeting a compound in Tal as-Sultan, northwest Rafah, the IDF successfully eliminated two senior Hamas terrorists responsible for orchestrating terror operations in the West Bank. Despite the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry's claims that dozens of noncombatants were killed and wounded, Israeli officials clarified that the area where noncombatant tents were located was over 180 meters away from the strike site.
John Kirby: "If you think Hamas is just gone, they're not gone from Rafah or from Gaza. And if you think they've abandoned their genocidal intent towards the nation of Israel, think again. They haven't. So Israel has every right to not want to live next to that kind of threat." pic.twitter.com/p06Z5IN6Lg
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 28, 2024
Initial reports from Israeli officials suggested that shrapnel from the strike may have ignited a fuel tank, leading to a fire that engulfed tents housing displaced Gazans. However, a detailed analysis of social media videos revealed secondary explosions, indicating that a weapons cache stored by Hamas likely ignited, causing the gas tank explosion. This revelation underscores Hamas' war crime of hiding weapons near civilian areas. The missiles used by Israel, two 34-pound bombs, were designed to minimize collateral damage and did not have the capacity to send shrapnel nearly 600 feet.
IDF Commitment to Transparent Investigation
IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari assured the public that the investigation into the fire's cause would be thorough and transparent. "Our munition alone could not have ignited a fire this size... We used the smallest munition that our jets can use," Hagari stated. "The fire that broke out was unexpected and unintended. This was a devastating incident that we did not expect. We’re investigating what caused this fire."
Here's an Aerial image of the actual strike site, no where near where Hamas propagandists claimed. pic.twitter.com/QeHxFJajbl
— Yaari Cohen (@YaariCohen) May 28, 2024
Hagari emphasized that the strike targeted a "closed" terrorist structure nearly a mile from the Al-Mawasi Humanitarian zone. Signals intelligence intercepted phone calls suggesting that weapons stored in a nearby compound caught fire, reinforcing the possibility of secondary explosions. "Our war is against Hamas, not the people of Gaza. This is why we convey deep sorrow over this loss of life," Hagari added.
Contrary to Hamas' lies ' the strike absolutely did not take place inside the designated humanitarian Zone
— Yaari Cohen (@YaariCohen) May 28, 2024
>>>>> pic.twitter.com/FBJHx4aJW9
U.S. Support for Israel Remains Unshaken
Despite the tragic loss of life in Sunday's attack, the Biden administration reaffirmed that U.S. military support for Israel would not be withdrawn. Analysis from CNN confirmed that U.S.-made weapons were used in the strike. President Joe Biden and his top advisers have repeatedly cautioned Israel against extensive operations in Rafah without ensuring the safety of innocent civilians.
U.S. National Security Spokesman John Kirby remarked, "Everything that we can see tells us that they are not moving into a major ground operation in population centers in the center of Rafah."
International Reactions and Hamas' Cynical Strategy
Global leaders have expressed varying degrees of condemnation towards Israel's actions. French President Emmanuel Macron took to social media to demand that "these operations must stop." The German Foreign Ministry labeled the images of the strike as "unbearable" and called for better protection of the civilian population. However, none placed full responsibility on Israel.
US Says Rafah Massacre Won’t Change Its Support for Israel
— Antiwar.com (@Antiwarcom) May 28, 2024
John Kirby said he was offended by a question about charred bodies that were pulled out of the tent camp Israel bombed
by Dave DeCamp@DecampDave #Rafah #Gaza #Israel #Palestinians https://t.co/B7tPQojYYT pic.twitter.com/gSEWc7CK23
Hamas, notorious for its exploitation of civilian suffering, has publicly stated that Gazan civilians are expected to be sacrificed to further their cause. In a revealing interview in November, Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk, when questioned about why Gazans cannot use tunnels for shelter, callously responded, "We have built the tunnels because we have no other way of protecting ourselves from being targeted and killed. These tunnels are meant to protect us from the airplanes. We are fighting from inside the tunnels."
When pressed on why Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, does not protect its citizens, Marzouk deflected responsibility, saying, "Everybody knows that 75% of the people in the Gaza Strip are refugees, and it is the responsibility of the United Nations to protect them."
How shamelessly #Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk talks about TUNNELS that these are to protect Hamas Fighters, NOT Civilians, and Protecting #Gaza Civilians is the responsibility of the #UN.
— Zahack Tanvir - ضØاك تنوير (@zahacktanvir) October 30, 2023
pic.twitter.com/gePoVkkpzX
This cynical strategy by Hamas highlights the complex and tragic reality faced by civilians in Gaza, further complicating the efforts to achieve lasting peace and security in the region.
