White House national security spokesman John Kirby did not comment on Israel’s expanded ground operation at a news conference on Friday.
However, Kirby said Washington supports Israel’s right to self-defense after Hamas, a US-designated terrorist organization, killed 1,400 people in southern Israel on October 7.
“The United States is not trying to impose restrictions on Israel,” Kirby said Friday, amid reports of an expansion of Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip against Hamas militants.
"We do not draw red lines for Israel," Kirby stressed.
The United States continues to discuss with Israel the objectives of the operation, the need to protect Palestinian civilians in Gaza, efforts to ensure the safe return of Israeli hostages and the need to consider what happens after ground operations in Gaza, he said. .
“From the beginning we have had and will continue to have conversations with them (Israel) about how they do this. And we have not been shy about expressing our concern about civilian casualties, collateral damage and the methods they (Israel) may choose,” Kirby said. Friends can and should express their concerns, she said. “And we (Israel) are friends,” Kirby explained.
The expansion of the Israeli military’s ground operation comes as the United States attempts to stage a humanitarian pause in the delivery of fuel and humanitarian aid to Gaza civilians. It is not yet clear how the expanded ground operation will affect efforts to organize a pause.
He also told reporters that the United States is holding “active negotiations” with Israel over a humanitarian pause needed to free hostages in the Gaza Strip.
“We absolutely believe that if there can be a pause to allow the release of the hostages, we would absolutely support it, and we believe Israel should support it,” John Kirby said, pledging that the United States will “continue to put pressure on partners in the region” to achieve the release of the hostages.
“If this requires a localized pause, we will absolutely support it. We support any efforts to ensure the hostages return safely home to their families,” Kirby said.
