JERUSALEM (AP) — The White House said Sunday that “now is the right time” for Israel to scale back its military offensive in the Gaza Strip, as Israeli leaders recommitted to continuing their operation against the group Hamas militant in power in the territory.
The comments exposed the growing differences between close allies on the 100th day of the war.
Also on Sunday, Israeli military aircraft struck targets in Lebanon following a Hezbollah missile attack that killed two Israeli civilians – an elderly woman and her adult son – in northern Israel. The exchange of fire underscored fears that violence in Gaza could spark wider fighting in the region.
The Gaza war, launched by Israel in response to Hamas’s unprecedented attack on October 7, has killed nearly 24,000 Palestinians, devastated large swathes of Gaza, and driven about 85 percent of the 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes. inhabitants of the territory and plunged a quarter of the population into famine.
Speaking on CBS, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the United States was discussing with Israel “a transition to low-intensity operations” in Gaza.
“We believe this is the right time for this transition. And we talk to them about it,” he said on “Face the Nation.”
Israel launched the offensive after the Hamas attack killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took another 250 hostage. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to move forward until Hamas is destroyed and the 100 or so hostages still in captivity are freed.
The war caused tensions soaring through the region, with Israel exchanging fire almost daily with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. targets in Syria and Iraq. Additionally, Yemen’s Houthi rebels are targeting international shipping, attracting a wave of American airstrikes last week.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said his group would not stop until a ceasefire was in place in Gaza.
“We continue and our front inflicts losses on the enemy and puts pressure on the displaced,” Nasrallah said in a speech, referring to the tens of thousands of Israelis who have fled the northern border areas.
In addition, tens of thousands of people in Europe and the Middle East took to the streets Sunday to mark the 100th day of the war. Opposition protests demanded either the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas or a ceasefire in Gaza.
In Israel, supporters of the hostages and their families closed a 24-hour protest in Tel Aviv, calling on the government to secure their immediate release.
On Sunday evening, Hamas released a short video in which three Israeli hostages, apparently speaking under duress, begged their government to end the war and return them home. It is not clear when the video was taken. At the end of the video, Hamas said it would provide an update on their fate on Monday.
Hamas has released several such videos, in an apparent attempt to pressure Israel into accepting its demand to end the war before negotiations on a possible release of all hostages in exchange for most or all Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
The unprecedented level of death and destruction in Gaza has led South Africa to file allegations of genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Israel denies the accusations and pledged to continue its offensive even if the Hague court issues a provisional order to put an end to it.
Israel is also under growing international pressure to end the war in Gaza, but has so far been protected by American diplomatic and military support. Israel says any ceasefire would hand victory to Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007 and is determined to destroy Israel.
“It’s been 100 days, and yet we won’t stop until we win,” Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday.
But differences with the Americans began to appear. During a visit to the region last week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken renewed calls for Israel to do more to reduce civilian casualties and increase the supply of desperately needed humanitarian aid entering Gaza.
In recent weeks, Israel has scaled back its operations in northern Gaza, the initial target of the offensive, where weeks of airstrikes and ground operations have taken place. left entire neighborhoods in ruins.
Kirby, the White House spokesman, acknowledged that Israel had taken some “preliminary steps” to reduce the offensive. But he said there was more to be done.
“We’re not saying let’s take our foot off the gas completely and not continue to pursue Hamas,” he said. “It’s just that we think the time is coming very, very soon for a transition to this lower intensity phase.”
Hezbollah’s deadly missile strike in northern Israel has renewed concerns about the emergence of a second front leading to all-out war.
This came shortly after the Israeli military said it had killed three Lebanese militants who were trying to infiltrate Israel.
On Sunday evening, the Israeli army announced that it had struck Lebanon in response to the missile strike. Israeli authorities said a woman in her 60s and her son in his 40s were killed in the town of Yuval.
The army’s chief spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said Israel would not tolerate attacks on civilians.
“The price will not only be determined tonight, but also in the future,” he said.
Yuval is one of 40 towns along Israel’s northern border evacuated by the government in October. Israeli media reported that the family remained in the area because they worked in agriculture.
Tensions have also spread to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Palestinian health officials say nearly 350 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in clashes throughout the war.
On Sunday, the Israeli military said its troops opened fire after a Palestinian car drove through a military checkpoint in the southern West Bank and an attacker fired at soldiers. Palestinian health officials said two Palestinians were killed.
On Sunday evening, Palestinian health officials said two teenagers were killed by Israeli fire. The army said it shot them dead after they threw a bomb at a military base.
ISRAEL STRIKES CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN GAZA
Israel has launched major operations against the southern town of Khan Younis and built refugee camps in central Gaza.
“No one can move,” said Rami Abu Matouq, who lives in Maghazi camp. “Warplanes, snipers and gunfire are everywhere. »
In the central town of Deir al-Balah, health officials said at least 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes Saturday evening.
At the entrance to Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Hospital, men lined up to pray for the dead, their bodies wrapped in white shrouds. The bodies were placed in the back of a van before being taken away for burial.
Separately, Egyptian television channel Al-Ghad said a cameraman was killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza. The channel said Yazan al-Zwaidi was apparently among a crowd of people at the time. Details were not immediately available and the Israeli military had no comment.
Internet advocacy group Netblocks said communications in Gaza were still down after a 48-hour outage. Palestinian telecommunications operator in Gaza, Jawwal, said two of its employees were killed on Saturday when they were hit by a shell while repairing lines in Khan Younis.
THE Gaza Ministry of Health said on Sunday that hospitals had received 125 bodies in the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 23,968. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says about two-thirds of the dead are women and minors. More than 60,000 people were injured.
Israel says Hamas is responsible for many civilian casualties, saying its fighters use civilian buildings and launch attacks from densely populated urban areas. The army says 189 soldiers have been killed and 1,099 wounded since the ground offensive began.
Magdy reported from Cairo. Chehayeb reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.
