WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – Israeli troops are withdrawing from parts of Gaza, but officials say their war against Hamas continues.
On The Hill Sunday, Tal Heinrich, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, responded to the global outrage.
“We want to see minimal civilian suffering,” Heinrich said.
Millions of Palestinians are still sheltering in Gaza, but Israel has vowed to move forward with a major ground operation.
“If anyone out there is putting the pressure on Israel instead of on Hamas,” Heinrich warned, “you’re playing right into their hands.”
But White House National Security Spokesperson John Kirby told CBS’s Face the Nation that President Joe Biden still opposes the ground offensive.
“The president was clear with the prime minister,” Kirby said, “if there’s not changes, if things don’t get better, then we’re going to have to make changes of our own.”
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) says those changes should include conditioning U.S. weapons transfers to Israel on the protection of civilians in Gaza.
“Not to stop them permanently, but to effectively use our leverage. That’s what we’re asking the President of the United States to do.”
More than 200 humanitarian aid workers have been killed, including seven World Central Kitchen employees. The organization’s founder, chef Jose Andres, told ABC This Week that at this point, this is a war against humanity.
“Right now, we are in the middle of this,” Andres said, “a story that we wish we were not part of.”
The White House says President Biden still opposes reducing any U.S. military aid to Israel.
