White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre looks on as National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby speaks during the press briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., Jan. 11, 2024. (EPA Photo)
The U.S. accepted the ongoing starvation of Palestinians due to Israel’s attacks and blockade on Gaza, saying that more aid was needed to enter the besieged enclave.
“We recognize that there are real food security issues in Gaza, 100%, and that’s why food has really been one of the main staples of the humanitarian assistance that we have been trying to get in – food, water medicine – but food certainly right at the top of that list,” said National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.
Israel has denied the charges and will argue against them at the Hague.
The White House has also rejected the allegations as meritless, a position reiterated by Kirby.
“We have said repeatedly that we believe these allegations, this case is unfounded, and that there’s no basis for accusations of genocide against Israel. That’s not a word that ought to be thrown around lightly,” he said. “We certainly don’t believe that it applies here.”
At least 23,357 Palestinians have been killed since October, about two-thirds of whom are women and children, and 59,410 injured, according to Palestinian health authorities. Thousands of missing individuals are believed to have died under the rubble of buildings bombed by Israel.
About 85% of Gaza’s population has been displaced with the U.N. warning that famine is likely to occur without a major change to the status quo. Hundreds of thousands of people are living without shelter, or in makeshift camps.
Israel began its war against Gaza in retaliation for an Oct. 7 cross-border attack by the Palestinian group, Hamas, in which an estimated 1,200 people were killed, and more than 200 taken to Gaza as hostages. Roughly half of the hostages remain in captivity.