UPDATE - US says Israel needs to prioritize protection of Palestinian civilians

UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM US DEFENSE SECRETARY

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - The US urged Israel on Tuesday to refrain from a military offensive in Rafah without a plan to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians.

“We've been clear about the need to prioritize the protection of civilians,” US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said at a news conference at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

“A military operation should not proceed without a clear and implementable plan to evacuate those civilians out of the battle-space, and also care for them once you evacuate them,” he said.

Austin said the US has been communicating its concerns to Israeli authorities at all levels, and he has conveyed the messages to his Israeli counterpart several times.

Asked whether the Biden administration would consider suspending delivery of offensive weapons to Israel amid mass civilian casualties, Austin reiterated Washington’s oft-repeated position.

“Israel has a fundamental right to be able to defend itself,” he said, adding that while supporting Israel’s security, Washington also expects from Israeli authorities to protect civilians, and allow more humanitarian assistance into Gaza.

"Israel has a right to defend itself. But they also, there's also a need to protect the civilians in the battle-space. And again, the two things aren't mutually exclusive,” Austin said.

Despite growing international pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu approved plans March 15 for a military offensive in the southern Gaza Strip, where more than 1.4 million civilians are currently sheltering.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive against Gaza since an attack by the Palestine group, Hamas, in October, which killed nearly 1,200 people.

More than 31,800 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and almost 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, and an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.