Biden administration supports Israel going into Rafah with ‘credible plan’

The Biden administration does support Israeli forces going into the southern Gaza city of Rafah as long as their strategy accounts for the significant civilian population that has relocated there.

Leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, and United Nations, among others, have raised concerns about Israel’s intent to go into Rafah, which is now home to roughly 1.3 million Palestinians who evacuated from the northern part of the enclave. But a U.S. administration official clarified on Monday that it supports Israel’s effort to capture or kill senior Hamas leaders who migrated south as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of the civilian population.

“There are legitimate military targets that the Israelis are going to want to go after in Rafah,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Monday.

Israeli forces entered Gaza and initially focused on the north before turning their attention to the central part of the strip and gradually working their way south. As Israeli troops went south, so did Hamas fighters and leaders to avoid detection, according to the White House.