The administration of US President Joe Biden does not consider the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel during the war with Hamas as genocide, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, according to UNN with reference to France 24.
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Sullivan said that the United States wants to see Hamas defeated. He also noted that the Palestinians at the center of the war are in "hell" and that a major Israeli military operation in Rafah would be a mistake.
"We do not consider what is happening in Gaza to be genocide. We firmly and officially reject that claim," Sullivan told reporters at the White House.
He reportedly expressed concern over reports of an attack by Israeli settlers on a humanitarian aid convoy heading to the Erez crossing in northern Gaza.
"It's a complete outrage that there are people who are attacking these convoys and robbing them. This is completely unacceptable behavior," Sullivan said.
On Monday, an international UN security officer was killed in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, when his car came under fire. UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said that this is the first international UN staff member killed in the enclave since October 7.
According to the Ministry of Health, at least 35,091 Palestinians have been killed and 78,827 injured in the Hamas-ruled territory as a result of the Israeli military offensive in Gaza. About 1,170 people were killed in the attacks on October 7 led by Hamas, 250 people were taken hostage, according to Israel, and 132 people are still missing.
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Israel has gathered enough troops on the outskirts of the Palestinian city of Rafahto launch a full-scale ground operation in the coming days.
Earlier, Jake Sullivan confirmed that the United States would not supply Israel with certain types of offensive weapons in the event of a major ground operation in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. He also said that new consultations between US and Israeli officials on the situation around Rafah would take place in the coming days.