WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – U.S. officials say while ceasefire and hostage negotiations are on pause, the U.S. has publicly began offering stark warnings to Israel about the consequences of the rising civilian death toll in Gaza. And the White House says that Israel is listening.
On ABC’s “This Week,” National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby said, “We’ve urged them as they go south, we have said publicly, we don’t want to see them move into the south unless or until they have accounted for that additional civilian population.” He went on to say that Israel “publishing this map online and dropping leaflets and telling people where not to go, that is a step in the right direction.”
On Saturday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned that Israel risked “strategic defeat” in Gaza if it doesn’t do more to protect civilians.
“I have repeatedly made clear to Israel’s leaders that protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral responsibility and a strategic imperative,” Austin said at the Reagan National Defense Forum.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) disagreed with Secretary Austin’s remarks.
“He’s so naive. I mean, I’ve just lost all confidence in this guy” Graham said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Graham said that the goal of defeating Hamas should be the main focus. “How about focusing on protecting our soldiers, men and women in Syria and Iraq? Strategic defeat would be inflaming the Palestinians? They’re already inflamed” Graham continued.
