The United States does not believe genocide is taking place in Gaza, but Israel must do more to protect Palestinian civilians. That's according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan
As ceasefire talks stalled, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan insisted the responsibility for peace lies with the militant group Hamas, AFP reported.
"We believe Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and well-being of innocent civilians. We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is genocide," Sullivan said at a briefing.
The U.S. "uses the internationally accepted term of genocide, which includes a focus on intent," to reach that assessment, Sullivan added.
Biden wanted to see Hamas defeated, but realized that Palestinian civilians were in "hell," Sullivan said.
Sullivan said he came to the White House podium to "take a step back" and lay out the Biden administration's position on the conflict, amid criticism from both ends of the U.S. political spectrum.
Biden has come under criticism from Republicans for halting some arms shipments to enforce his demand that Israel halt the Rafah offensive, and protests have been held at US universities against his support for Israel.
The US president believes that any operation in Rafah "must be linked to a strategic end game that also answers the question 'what next? Sullivan added.
This would avoid Israel "getting bogged down in a counterinsurgency campaign that never ends and ultimately drains Israel's strength and vitality." / BGNES
