by Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is advising Israel to refrain from carrying out a ground offensive in Gaza for the time being and is keeping Qatar, which mediates with Hamas, informed of the discussions, sources said, as Washington wants to release additional hostages and prepare for a potential regional escalation of the conflict.
Since the Hamas attack in Israeli towns which left 1,400 dead on October 7, and the IDF air reprisals in the Gaza Strip in which more than 5,000 people died, the United States has displayed its unwavering support for their long-time ally, emphasizing that Israel had the right to defend itself.
Washington also publicly affirmed that the Jewish state was the sole decision-maker regarding the timetable for the war intended to “eradicate” Hamas.
But, according to two people familiar with the discussions, the White House, the Pentagon and the US State Department are privately increasing calls for caution during exchanges with Israeli officials, against a backdrop of an amplified humanitarian crisis in Gaza where 2.3 million residents lack food, water and medicine, while electricity has been cut in the enclave, placed under total blockade by Israel.
Washington is making it a priority to have more time to conduct negotiations for the release of people kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and held since then in Gaza, the sources said, a desire reinforced by the unexpected release Friday of two dual-national women having an American passport. Two Israeli women were also released on Monday, bringing to four the number of releases carried out by Hamas – out of the 222 hostages it is holding.
According to an American representative, the administration of President Joe Biden, aware of Qatar’s role as an intermediary with Hamas, is keeping Doha informed of the advice it gives to Israel so that Qatari representatives have all the elements on the sidelines of the hostage negotiations.
“At the moment, there is no clear road map on steps towards complete de-escalation. The priority is to work on getting the hostages out, step by step,” said one of the sources familiar with the matter. hostage negotiations.
IMPLICATIONS
Another U.S. official said European governments, many of which have nationals among the Hamas hostages, were also suggesting that Israel refrain from launching a ground invasion of Gaza so that hostage negotiations could succeed.
During a telephone interview he organized on Sunday with the leaders of Canada, Britain, France, Germany and Italy, Joe Biden discussed the hostage issue and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the White House said.
According to one of the American representatives speaking on condition of anonymity, asking Israel to wait to carry out a ground offensive also allows more time to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The UN has indicated that, since Saturday, around fifty trucks carrying aid have been able to enter the enclave from Egypt. UN officials warn that at least a hundred trucks per day would be needed to meet the most urgent needs of the Gaza population.
Since the start of the conflict, Washington has been speaking with Israel to find out its “intentions, strategy, objectives”, a White House spokesperson said on Monday.
A Pentagon representative indicated that the American Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, stressed during numerous telephone conversations with his Israeli counterpart the need to be prepared for the repercussions of a ground offensive, between the risk of a regional conflagration, fate of hostages and humanitarian crisis.
The United States has asked Israel to follow the rules of war for a possible invasion of Gaza, a predominantly urban and densely populated territory.
Israel has appeared to take a different approach in its military strategy since Sunday, sending teams of soldiers to carry out localized incursions into Gaza, supported by tanks, leading to clashes with Hamas fighters.
The IDF continues to carry out airstrikes, shelling areas of Gaza where it believes Hamas fighters are gathering to carry out ambushes in the event of an Israeli invasion.
Washington also wants more time to prepare for attacks against its interests in the Middle East, particularly in the event of a regional escalation of the conflict, notably between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah, supported – like Hamas – by the ‘Iran.
(Reporting Matt Spetalnick, Steve Holland and Humeyra Pamuk, with Dan Williams in Jerusalem, Andrew Mills in Doha, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; French version Jean Terzian)
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