US says Israel needs to prioritize protection of Palestinian civilians

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.

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 Israeli 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. 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.