Biden administration pushes Israel to prepare to scale back war in Gaza
WASHINGTON - The Biden administration wants Israel to find a point to scale back its large-scale ground and air campaign in Gaza and move to more "surgical" military operations targeting Hamas but the U.S. has not demanded a deadline for the shift, according to a U.S. official.
Discussions about the next phase of war come after President Joe Biden publicly warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in remarks Tuesday that Israel is "staring to lose" international support in its war against Hamas because of its "indiscriminate bombing" in Gaza.
During meetings Thursday in Israel, Biden's national security adviser Jake Sullivan discussed "a shift in emphasis" with Netanyahu, members of his cabinet and other top Israeli officials.
"He did talk about possible transitioning from what we would call high-intensity operations, which is what we're seeing them do now, to lower-intensity operations sometime in the near future," said John Kirby, the National Security Council's coordinator for strategic communications. "But I don't want to put a timestamp on it."
Israeli officials briefed the U.S. about potential timeframes for a phase-out in military operations, according to the unnamed Biden administration official, but ultimately any decision will be subject to "conditions on the ground."
Kirby said Sullivan "discussed the next phase of Israel's military campaign and he asked hard questions, as we have been doing, about what all that could look like."
The Biden administration, which has stood in solidarity with Israel since it was attacked by Hamas on Oct 7, has started to become more critical about how Israel is carrying out its war against the military group amid the rising number of Palestinian civilian casualties.
"I want them to be focused on how to save civilian lives," Biden told reporters Thursday when asked whether he wants Israel to scale back fighting in Gaza by the end of the year. "Not stop going after Hamas but be more careful."
Biden has pushed for a "two-state solution" for Israel and Palestinians after the defeat of Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2006, but Netanyahu opposes any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza after the war.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, standing next to Sullivan after their meeting, said Israel's war against Hamas will last at least several more months, noting that Hamas built its network and infrastructure over a decade.
"It is not easy to destroy them. It will take and require a long period of time. It will last more than several months. But we will win and we will destroy them," Gallant said.
Netanyahu, in videotaped remarks, thanked the U.S. for its military support and for opposing calls by the United Nations for a cease-fire. He said the return of hostage from Gaza remains Israel's top priority and reiterated that Israel won't stop fighting until Hamas is defeated.
"I told our American friends: Our heroic soldiers have not fallen in vain," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Out of the deep pain of their having fallen, we are more determined than ever to continue fighting until Hamas is eliminated – until absolute victory."
Kirby said that for the Israel-Hamas war to end Hamas must "lay down (their) arms," turn over Hamas leaders responsible for orchestrating the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and return the remaining hostages.
"Three simple things," Kirby said.
Sullivan kicked off his Middle East visit Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, where he met with crown prince Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He is set to travel Friday to the West Bank to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Related: VP Harris presses Israel on civilian deaths in Gaza. What does international law say?
Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly known as Twitter, @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden administration pushes Israel to scale back war in Gaza
