WASHINGTON: On the 100th day of the conflict, the White House called on Israel to scale back its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, marking a notable divergence in views between the close allies. Israeli leaders, however, reiterated their commitment to pressing ahead with the operation against the ruling Hamas resistance group.
The appeal from the White House comes as Israeli warplanes struck targets in Lebanon following a Hezbollah missile attack that resulted in the deaths of two persons in northern Israel. This exchange of fire raises concerns about the potential for wider conflict across the region.
Israeli Strikes Devastated Gaza
The Gaza death toll has surpassed 24,100 people, mostly women and children, in the ongoing relentless Israeli strikes. The Israeli strikes has devastated large portions of Gaza, displaced around 85% of the territory’s 2.3 million residents, and pushed a quarter of the Palestinian population into starvation.
John Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, emphasized in a television interview that the United States has been engaging with Israel about transitioning to low-intensity operations in Gaza. “We believe it is the right time for that transition. And we are talking to them about doing that,” he stated.
