White House Responds to Israeli Airstrike in Rafah Without Altering Aid Plans

The White House has labeled the recent Israeli airstrike on Rafah, which resulted in the deaths of 45 individuals, as devastating, yet it has no plans to cease arms shipments to Israel. President Joe Biden is calling for Israel to draw lessons from this tragic incident and has maintained a stance against large-scale military operations in Rafah, emphasizing the importance of avoiding civilian casualties. Despite the severity of the strike, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby highlighted that this action does not represent a shift towards the large-scale operations which the US has explicitly opposed. The strike has drawn global condemnation, with calls for a ceasefire from leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. The US remains focused on monitoring Israel’s military tactics, particularly their use of precise munitions aimed at minimizing civilian impact, as it continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself against threats, notably from Hamas.