The White House revealed the most comprehensive definition so far of what it considers a "major ground operation" in Rafah that could lead to a shift in U.S. policy towards Israel, stating that Israel's actions there have not yet reached that level. John Kirby, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told reporters at a press conference, "We haven't seen them storm into Rafah - we haven't seen them enter with large units and a significant number of troops in formations and coordinated maneuvers against multiple targets on the ground. This is a major ground operation. We haven't seen that."
The ongoing Israeli assault on Rafah, which has lasted for three weeks, has sparked outrage and condemnation from world leaders following an airstrike on Sunday that, according to Gaza officials, resulted in at least 45 deaths when a fire broke out in a camp in the western part of the city. The Biden administration has repeatedly warned Israel against launching a large-scale military attack in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza crowded with displaced persons who had followed earlier Israeli evacuation orders to move there. President Joe Biden himself publicly warned Israel earlier this month that the U.S. would cease weapon supplies if Israeli forces conducted a major ground incursion there without a credible plan to protect civilians.
Israel had requested that around one million Palestinian civilians displaced by the nearly eight-month ongoing war evacuate to the Mawasi area when it began its ground assault in Rafah in early May. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) reported on Tuesday that many have been displaced from Rafah since then.
In response to a question about reports suggesting that Israeli forces have advanced into central Rafah, Kirby said, “From what I understand, and I believe the Israelis have talked about this, they are moving along what is called the Philadelphia corridor, which is on the outskirts of the city, not inside the city limits.” He added, “We haven’t seen a major ground operation, and these tanks are moving along a corridor they had previously informed us they would use on the outskirts of town to try to pressure Hamas.”
The International Court of Justice ordered Israel last week to immediately cease its military assault on Rafah in a historic emergency ruling in a case brought by South Africa accusing Israel of committing genocide. Israel stated that it had targeted two senior Hamas officials during the Sunday raid and did not intend to cause civilian casualties. Kirby remarked, “I don’t know how anyone could question that they were trying to pursue Hamas in a focused and specific way,” adding that the U.S. would await the results of the Israeli investigation into the incident.
The United States is by far the largest arms supplier to Israel and has expedited arms transfers following the October 7 attacks led by Hamas. The Rafah crossing was a major entry point for humanitarian aid before Israel intensified its military assault on the border area of the Gaza Strip earlier this month and took control of the Palestinian side of the crossing.
