As Israel escalates its war on the Gaza Strip, the US State Department has warned its diplomats working on regional issues against making public statements suggesting the United States wants to see less violence.
According to internal emails obtained by the U.S. version of the site, circulated Friday, State Department staff wrote that senior officials did not want press materials to include three specific phrases "de-escalation/ceasefire," "end violence/bloodshed," and "restore calm."
According to the website, the disclosure provided what it called a startling signal about the reluctance of the administration of US President Joe Biden to press for restraint with Israel, which is expanding its aggression on the Gaza Strip and preparing for a possible ground incursion, in response to the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation led by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) with the resistance factions at dawn on the 7th of this month.
The emails were sent hours after Israel demanded that more than 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza evacuate their homes ahead of an expected ground offensive in the area. The United Nations said on Thursday that Israel had given Gazans 24 hours to move to the southern enclave and warned that "such a move would be impossible without devastating humanitarian consequences."
Asked about Israel's evacuation order on Friday, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby refused to reject or endorse the request, calling it "difficult."
"We would be careful not to get into an armchair in IDF tactics on the ground," Kirby said, adding, "What I can say is that we understand what they're trying to do, they're trying to keep civilians out of harm's way and give them a fair warning."
"They will not comment"
HuffPost said that when the State Department was contacted for comment on the Israeli directive, a State Department official said they would not comment on internal communications.
U.S. officials have said they expect Israel to abide by the laws of war in its war against Hamas, but have avoided discussing a ceasefire, even as aid groups have suggested it may be necessary for civilians to leave Gaza and allow vital supplies into the area after Israel cut off electricity and water.
Biden has repeatedly pledged support for Israel in its quest for revenge for the unprecedented Hamas attack. However, the United States, as Israel's largest source of diplomatic and military support, wields considerable influence over the question of how the country chooses to seek retaliation and whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to limit civilian casualties in carrying out his retaliation.
Biden's allies may pressure the president and his team to issue stronger calls for Netanyahu to prioritize humanitarian concerns. Representative Sarah Jacob, a California Democrat who serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committee, urged Israel to reconsider the evacuation of Gaza.
U.S. officials often consider private persuasion more effective with allies such as Israelis than public pressure.
At dawn last Saturday, Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Gaza launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood in response to the ongoing attacks by the occupation forces and settlers against the Palestinian people, their property and holy sites, especially the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem.
The Israeli army has launched Operation Iron Swords and continues to launch intensive raids on several areas of the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians suffering from deteriorating living conditions as a result of an ongoing Israeli blockade since 2006.