The White House has called on Israel to protect innocent people as Palestinian officials said the Israeli military had stormed one hospital in Gaza and placed another under siege.
National security council spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday Israel had a right to defend itself but added: “We expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients as well, as much as possible.”
Israeli troops advanced for the first time into Gaza’s al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean coast, west of Khan Younis, the main city in the territory’s south, in what some Palestinians said was the bloodiest assault so far in January.
There, they stormed al-Khair hospital and were arresting medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesperson Ashraf al Qidra told the news agency Reuters. The hospital is just inside the safe zone at Mawasi, where the Israeli military had said it would not carry out operations.
There was no word from Israel on the situation at the hospital, and the military spokesperson’s office had no comment.
And…
if Israel won’t do it,
well, then, the US will wring its hands in social anguish
Effective, no?
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