Biden under scrutiny for Israel's military actions targeting civilians

President Joe Biden and his top national security officials are facing increasing concerns regarding Israel's commitment to minimizing civilian casualties, as well as the potential impact of the Gaza situation on his domestic political standing.

Even some supporters of the administration are worried that defending Israel's response to the Hamas terror attacks on October 7 could become an unsustainable stance for the White House. The recent massive explosion in the Jabalya refugee camp highlighted the delicate balance that the Biden administration is attempting to maintain: publicly acknowledging Israel's efforts to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties while simultaneously dealing with the graphic scenes of destruction in Gaza, which are fueling public outrage and demands for a ceasefire.

The devastating airstrike, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life, prompts scrutiny of Biden and his top officials' abilities to persuade their Israeli counterparts to prioritize the protection of Palestinian civilians. Moreover, it deepens concerns within the administration that the escalating civilian death toll may further erode international support for Israel, leaving the country isolated during a period of significant regional instability.

The significant number of casualties in Gaza heavily burdens senior US officials, who are increasing pressure, both privately and publicly, on the Israelis to minimize civilian fatalities. This pressure stems directly from the president, as evidenced by his emphasis on the safety of Palestinian civilians during his phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday.

The increasing number of civilian casualties in Gaza has caught some American officials off guard. They understand that with each instance of humanitarian tragedy, there will be greater demand to condemn Israel's tactics. However, the White House has thus far refrained from taking a stance on this matter, which intensifies the pressure.

According to a source closely connected to President Biden's national security team, there is significant concern about the loss of innocent lives. The administration genuinely values human lives and demonstrates empathy towards the situation.

However, it is evident that empathy towards Israel's right to self-defense has remained steadfast and unwavering so far. During the White House press briefing on Tuesday, John Kirby, a spokesperson for the National Security Council, acknowledged that there may be instances where Israeli forces fall short of their own expectations regarding the avoidance of civilian casualties.

When questioned further about whether the administration would admit that Israel is failing to adequately minimize civilian casualties, Kirby maintained that it is clearly evident to them that Israel is making efforts to reduce such casualties.

The statement seemed contradictory to Israel's operation in northern Gaza on Tuesday, where a senior Hamas commander was successfully killed, according to Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Richard Hecht. During an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Hecht acknowledged that the Israeli airstrike targeted the commander who was hiding among civilians. When Blitzer pointed out the presence of innocent civilians in the refugee camp, Hecht stated, "This is the unfortunate reality of war, Wolf." He also mentioned that Israeli officials had been advising civilians to relocate to the south.

Jeremy Konyndyk, the President of Refugees International and a former worker in the Obama administration at USAID, stated on Tuesday that the assault on Jabalya refugee camp constituted an undeniable war crime. He further expressed that it exhibited a complete disregard for the legal obligation to limit harm to civilians when aiming for military targets. Konyndyk claims that this incident is just one in a series of attacks perpetrated by the IDF. He emphasized that this underscores Prime Minister Netanyahu's failure to take President Biden's repeated appeals to adhere to the laws of war seriously, without any acknowledgement of this reality by the United States.

In certain regions, the Biden administration has effectively utilized its influence to compel Israel to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Following Biden's instructions to Netanyahu on Sunday, urging for an immediate and substantial increase in aid to the strip, Israeli officials committed to gradually raising the number of trucks crossing from Egypt to 100 per day.

Furthermore, the United States' pressure resulted in the reinstatement of internet and cell phone services in Gaza, which were previously severed during Israel's escalation.

Elsewhere, American pleas have been ignored, as Israel has currently dismissed the White House's request for "humanitarian pauses" in the conflict, which would enable the delivery of aid and the release of hostages.

Moreover, the deliberate targeting of a refugee camp seems to directly defy the United States' calls for conducting operations that prioritize the safety of innocent civilians.

Prior to this, President Biden had been navigating a delicate line of support for Israel subsequent to the Hamas terror attacks on October 7. This position has led to divisions within his own Democratic Party and has put the United States at odds with several longstanding European allies.

Biden has ignored pleas for a ceasefire, both within the United Nations and elsewhere, and asserts that Israel is obliged to protect its citizens from terrorism. Neither he nor any other member of the administration has offered any significant criticism of Israel's military actions.

Biden's advisors maintain that their warnings are better conveyed through private channels and affirm that there have been considerably more forceful discussions held privately than what the public statements suggest.

This involved recommendations from senior American military officials to postpone a ground invasion, partly to ensure sufficient time for the release of hostages held by Hamas. Additionally, US officials made efforts to inquire about Israel's war plans, which seemed incomplete to certain individuals.

Nevertheless, a significant aspect of these discussions was the escalating concerns regarding the consequences of increasing civilian casualties. President Biden and his team are apprehensive about potential global backlash, including within the United States.

On Tuesday, during a hearing on Capitol Hill that included Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the frustration was evident. In a manner reminiscent of the Iraq war period, protestors repeatedly disrupted their testimonies, vociferously urging for a cessation of hostilities and an end to the loss of innocent lives in Gaza.

According to a well-informed source within the administration, there is an acknowledgment that "public sentiment towards Israel will eventually evolve."

The source mentioned that this anticipation puts more pressure on US officials to consistently remind Americans of Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, which triggered the Israel-Hamas war. According to the source, Hamas carried out a large-scale terrorist attack with the aim of provoking Israel to react in the manner they are currently doing.

Biden has privately and increasingly publicly cautioned Israel to uphold international humanitarian law by safeguarding civilian lives. During phone conversations and his recent in-person meeting with Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Biden has issued explicit warnings about the possibility of diminishing support for Israel if the humanitarian situation in Gaza deteriorates.

Biden emphasized the importance of taking action to relieve suffering, asserting that credibility on a global scale would be compromised otherwise. He made these remarks to reporters upon his return from a short visit to Israel on October 18.