US Says Israel's Attack on Rafah Did Not Cross Red Lines and Will Not Change Policy

White House. (Wikimedia Commons/Matt H. Wade)

JAKARTA - The government of United States President Joe Biden said that Israel's attack on the refugee camp in Rafah did not violate their red lines, and would not change the White House's policy towards Israel.

"The Israeli side has said this was a tragic mistake," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House, when asked whether last weekend's attack qualified as "death and destruction" that could result in a suspension. more aid for Israel, as warned by US officials reported, Reuters, May 29.

Kirby said Uncle Sam's country "doesn't have benchmarks here or quotas."

"We don't want to see a large-scale ground operation, we haven't seen that at this point," he explained, when asked if it had crossed President Biden's red line, as quoted by CNN, noting most of Israel's operations were carried out in the Rafah outskirts corridor.

When asked if he was saying the recent ground operation in Rafah would not cause more delays in US military aid, Kirby said, "I believe that's what I'm saying here."

At least 45 people were killed and more than 200 others injured after an Israeli attack in Rafah hit a refugee camp said to be in a safe zone on Sunday.

Most of the victims were women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry and Palestinian medical officials.

Israel said the strike was precise and based on accurate intelligence, with two senior Hamas commanders reportedly killed in the attack.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted there was something strategically wrong with the attack, resulting in civilian casualties, saying an investigation into the incident had been launched.