US Vice President calls on Israeli Minister to develop ‘credible’ humanitarian plan before moving forward in Gaza, World News reports
Israel should create a “credible” humanitarian plan before advancing further in southern Gaza, according to the US vice president in a discussion with one of its senior ministers.
Kamala Harris also urged Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz, who visited Washington without the sanction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to increase aid into the devastated enclave.
Last month, Israel intensified its attacks on Rafah in southern Gaza, where approximately 1.5 million people are crowded, with most of them having fled from the offensive in the north.
Expressing concern over a potential humanitarian crisis, Ms. Harris reiterated her call for an immediate ceasefire and more aid to Gaza in her communication with Gantz on Sunday.
The White House stated that during the Monday meeting, they “discussed the situation in Rafah and the need for a credible and implementable humanitarian plan before considering any major military operation due to the risks to civilians.”
In a post on X, Ms. Harris stated that she reaffirmed support for Israel’s right to self-defense and emphasized the importance of increasing aid flow to Gaza.
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US VP: ‘Immediate ceasefire’ in Gaza
Meanwhile, Israel reiterated its criticism of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), claiming that 450 of its employees are members of militant groups.
Major international donors have withheld hundreds of millions of dollars from the agency since Israel accused 12 of its employees of involvement in the Hamas attacks on 7th October.
UN envoy Pramila Patten stated on Monday that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Hamas committed acts of rape and “sexualized torture.”
The invasion following the 7th October Hamas attacks, according to Gaza’s health ministry, has resulted in the deaths of over 30,000 Palestinians.
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike in Rafah. Pic: Reuters
The accusations made on Monday are a significant escalation in the allegations against the agency, which employs 13,000 people in Gaza.
Israel’s chief military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, did not provide names or evidence to support the claim that a large number of UNRWA employees are militants.
UNRWA accused Israel of detaining its staff and coercing them, through torture and ill-treatment, to provide false confessions about the alleged ties between the agency, Hamas, and the 7th October attack.
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“The Israeli authorities are using these coerced confessions from torture to spread misinformation about the agency in their attempts to dismantle UNRWA,” stated the agency.
“This puts our Gaza staff at risk and has serious implications for our operations in Gaza and the surrounding region.”
