Distinguish between Hamas and civilians in Gaza: US tells Israel

Washington: The US on Sunday asked its ally Israel not to target civilians in the midst of international calls for bringing ‘desperately needed humanitarian aid’ to people in Gaza, news agency AFP reported.

Meanwhile, Israel has opened an intense air and ground operations in Gaza in the past several hours as the casualties from the ongoing attack mount.

The health ministry in Gaza reportedly claimed that since Israel started retaliatory strikes, more than 8,000 Palestinians have been killed with half of them being children.

The Palestinian territory plunged into chaos of bloodletting and devastation since the October 7 when Hamas operatives overran Israel killing 1,400 people, taking hostage more than 200.

Bringing to fore the wretched face of misery, UN on Sunday said ‘civil order’ in Gaza is collapsing as people raided its food warehouses for wheat, flour and other supplies.

The US national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, urged Israel to distinguish between ‘Hamas terrorists’ and civilians, who are not ‘legitimate military targets’, CNN reported.

The US president Biden told Israeli PM Netanyahu over phone that Israel should carry out its right to defend itself ‘consistent with international humanitarian law’, protecting civilians.

A readout from White House said that Biden and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, speaking over phone, expressed commitment to increase ‘assistance flowing into Gaza beginning today’.

Other leaders to make similar calls include UK PM Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron with both of them urging for bringing ‘ urgent humanitarian aid’ to Gaza.

The Biden administration on Sunday claimed that it ‘worked on’ to bring back communications in Gaza after Israel cut off internet lines, which began to be available gradually on Sunday.