|
Trending Topics
|
U.S. Signals Backing for "Limited Operation" after IDF Takes Over Rafah Crossing
(Times of Israel) Jacob Magid - The Biden administration appeared to signal its initial approval of the operation launched by Israel on Tuesday to take over the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt. "What we've been told by our Israeli counterparts is that this operation last night was limited, and designed to cut off from Hamas' ability to smuggle weapons and funds into Gaza," White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Wednesday. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, "Hamas was continuing to collect revenue from that crossing being open. So it is a legitimate goal to try and deprive Hamas of money that they could use to continue to finance their terrorist activities." Miller also pushed back on the claim made by Hamas on Monday that it had accepted the truce proposal that was on the table. "That is not what they did. They responded with...a counterproposal," he said. "Hamas did not accept a ceasefire proposal."