US urges Israel to protect civilian lives
The White House said today that it is "deeply disturbed" by the images of the Israeli strike on Rafah that killed "innocent Palestinians" and called on Israel to "take all possible precautions to protect civilians."
© Reuters
Mundo Médio Oriente
"Israel has the right to defend itself from Hamas, and we understand that this strike killed two senior Hamas terrorists. ... But as we have made clear, Israel must take every possible measure to protect civilians," a White House National Security Council spokesman said.
The White House added that the United States will be "actively engaged in understanding what happened."
Hours earlier, the Israeli government had pledged to investigate its military's strike that killed the two Hamas officials and about 45 other people at a camp in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
"According to the initial information, there was a fire after the strike. These terrorists were hiding in the basement," Israeli government spokesman Avi Hyman told a news conference.
"We will investigate the matter. It was a very serious matter. Any loss of life, of civilian life, is a serious and terrible thing," Hyman said, adding that Israel tries "to minimize civilian casualties."
Hyman said the strike targeted two Hamas operatives who were responsible for "many attacks in Judea and Samaria," the biblical terms for the occupied West Bank.
The strike in Rafah was condemned by Egypt and Qatar, which have been mediating efforts to reach a cease-fire in the war that began nearly eight months ago.
See Also: Cidades do norte de Israel em chamas após lançamento de rockets do Líbano (Portuguese version)
Descarregue a nossa App gratuita.
Oitavo ano consecutivo Escolha do Consumidor para Imprensa Online e eleito o produto do ano 2024.
* Estudo da e Netsonda, nov. e dez. 2023 produtodoano- pt.com