“If you receive U.S. support, you must follow international law… “Israel is no exception.”
The U.S. White House said it was a “heartbreaking tragedy” that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) mistakenly shot and killed three Israeli hostages during military operations in the Gaza Strip.
John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator for the White House National Security Council (NSC), said this in an online briefing on the 15th (local time), saying, “I cannot go into too much detail because I cannot determine exactly how this tragic mistake occurred or how the military operation unfolded.” “I won’t,” he said.
Coordinator Kirby said, “This is not what anyone wanted,” and added, “Israel will definitely look into this matter and find out how this happened.”
The Israeli military said in a briefing that day that it shot three Israeli hostages during a battle in Shejaiya, northern Gaza, after mistakenly judging them to be dangerous. They were all killed, and were confirmed to be Israeli hostages who were being held captive.
U.S. President Joe Biden is also said to have been briefed on the issue by his national security team, and has not yet discussed it directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The White House reiterated that Israel must conduct military operations more carefully to reduce civilian casualties.
“The United States requires countries that receive military assistance to use it in full compliance with international humanitarian law and the laws of war, and Israel is no exception,” Kirby said.
He said, “We will continue to talk to the Israeli side to once again urge them to be as accurate and cautious as possible.”
Meanwhile, he expressed condolences over the death of an Al Jazeera photojournalist who was reporting from the Gaza Strip in an Israeli attack, but said, “There is still no indication that Israel intentionally targeted journalists.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.