US NSA Jake Sullivan to discuss "efforts to reduce harm to civilians" during Israel visit

Washington, DC [US], December 14 : US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who is on a visit to Israel, is expected to talk about the efforts to be more surgical and more precise, stressing that it should reduce the harm to civilians, according to Voice of America (VOA).
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said in a press briefing that a top White House official is visiting Israel to discuss the next phase of Israel's war against Hamas and efforts to better protect Palestinian civilians caught in the fighting.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan would use talks on Thursday and Friday in Israel to talk about "efforts to be more surgical and more precise and to reduce the harm to civilians," Kirby said.
"That is an aim of ours, and the Israelis say it is an aim of theirs, but it's the results that count," Kirby added.
Sullivan also planned to discuss US calls for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing, adding that it would expand current flows of aid that go only through the Rafah crossing, reported VOA.
Moreover, this week, Israel has begun inspections of aid cargo at Kerem Shalom, but those shipments still must go to Rafah.
Sullivan first stopped in Saudi Arabia, where the White House said that he and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed "efforts to create new conditions for an enduring and sustainable peace between Israelis and Palestinians" and work to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
While reiterating US support for Israel and its military response to the deadly Hamas attack against Israel two months ago, US President Joe Biden and other officials have expressed concern about the number of civilian casualties in the Gaza Strip, VOA reported.
Meanwhile, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, over 18,600 people have been killed and about 70 per cent of them are women and children.
Moreover, Hamas fighters, a US and EU-designated terror group killed 1,200 people and took more than 200 people hostage during their October 7 attack in Israel.
"Our support for Israel is not diminished, but we have had concerns and we have expressed those concerns about the prosecution of this military campaign, even while acknowledging that it's Hamas that started this and it's Hamas that is continuing it," Kirby said.
However, Israel has defended its tactics, and highlighted that it has taken steps to minimize civilian casualties such as ordering people to evacuate areas where it plans to carry out military operations, reported VOA.
Israel's military has also blamed Hamas for intentionally operating in populated areas.
"As a military committed to international law and a moral code of conduct, we are devoting vast resources to minimizing harm to the civilians that Hamas has forced into the role of human shields. Our war is against Hamas, not against the people of Gaza," Major Keren Hajioff said during an Israel Defense Forces briefing.
Meanwhile, the UN Palestinian refugee agency said that nearly 1.9 million people and about 85 per cent of Gaza's population, have been forced from their homes, with over 1.1 million currently registered at the agency's shelters in central and southern Gaza.
Additionally, the agency said the average shelter is nine times over its intended capacity.