WASHINGTON — As Israel escalates its
attacks on Gaza, the US State Department is discouraging its diplomats working on Middle East issues from making public statements suggesting the US wants to see less violence, according to internal emails viewed by Huffington Post on Friday.
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In messages circulated on Friday, State Department staff wrote that high-level officials do not want press materials to include three specific phrases: “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed” and “restoring calm.”
its
attacks on Gaza, the State Department is discouraging diplomats working on Middle East issues from making public statements suggesting the U.S. wants to see less violence, according to internal emails viewed by HuffPost.
The revelation provides a stunning signal about the Biden administration’s reluctance to push for Israeli restraint as the close US partner expands the offensive it launched after Hamas ― which rules Gaza ― attacked Israeli settlements last Saturday.
The emails were sent hours after Israel told more than 1.1 million residents of northern Gaza that they should leave their homes and shelters ahead of an expected ground invasion of the region. On Thursday, the United Nations said Israel had given Gazans a 24-hour deadline to move to the south of the strip, and warned that it would be “impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences.”
US officials have said they expect Israel to abide by the laws of war in its operation against Hamas. But they have avoided discussion of a ceasefire, even as aid groups and some analysts have suggested that may be essential to allow civilians to flee Gaza and allow vital supplies to enter the area after Israel cut off electricity and water that the strip usually relies on.
Earlier this week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken deleted and replaced a post on X, the former Twitter, in which he mentioned Turkey’s calls for a ceasefire.
Israel’s operation in Gaza has killed nearly 1800 people so far, the Gazan Health Ministry said Friday, including 583 children and 351 women. US officials believe there are 500 to 600 American citizens in the area. Israel has repeatedly bombed the exit point from Gaza that does not lead into its territory.
Israel says Hamas killed 1300 Israelis during its infiltration of southern Israel.
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