Why the US is pressing Israel for a ‘humanitarian temporary ceasefire’

An Israeli soldier is seen moving reserve ammunition towards a self-propelled gun firing near the southern Gaza Strip border in Israel on November 6.

Palestinians are seen conducting rescue operations in a refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, which was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike on November 6 (local time)./Xinhua·Yonhap News

Asia Today’s Washington correspondent Haman Joo reports that the Biden administration in the United States is pressuring the Israeli government to temporarily halt hostilities in the Gaza Strip on humanitarian grounds.

This comes as the death toll among Palestinians has surpassed 10,000 due to ongoing airstrikes by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip, now in its 32nd day, and ground combat entering its 10th day. The increasing international pressure on the Biden administration is due to the announcement that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the largest international organization in the Islamic world, will hold a special summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the 12th.

An Israeli soldier is seen moving artillery shells near the southern Gaza Strip border in Israel on November 6 (local time)./AFP·Yonhap News

An Israeli artillery unit is seen firing shells near the southern Palestinian Gaza Strip border in Israel on November 6 (local time)./EPA·Yonhap News

◇ Biden Administration Pressures Israel for ‘Humanitarian Temporary Ceasefire’… Opposes Ceasefire That Allows Hamas to Regroup

President Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, discussing the possibility of a tactical ceasefire to allow for civilian evacuation and aid, according to the White House.

While reaffirming his firm support for Israel, President Biden emphasized the need to minimize harm to Palestinian civilians during military operations, the White House reported.

Earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken met with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem on the 3rd and proposed a temporary ceasefire on humanitarian grounds for hostage release, among other things.

John Kirby, the National Security Council’s (NSC) strategic communications coordinator, also said in an online briefing today that while a ‘general ceasefire’ is not appropriate, he believes in the value of implementing a humanitarian temporary ceasefire locally.

Meanwhile, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel reaffirmed the administration’s opposition to a ceasefire during a briefing today, stating, “It gives Hamas time to regroup during the ceasefire.”

Palestinian children are seen fleeing from an Israeli airstrike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on November 6 (local time)./AFP·Yonhap News

Palestinians who have fled to the south of the Gaza Strip are seen walking on Salah al-Din Street in Bureij on November 6 (local time)./EPA·Yonhap News

◇ Hamas Gaza Health Ministry: “10,022 Palestinian Deaths”

The Biden administration’s pressure for a ‘humanitarian temporary ceasefire’ is believed to be due to concerns that diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation may fail as Palestinian casualties are rapidly increasing and the atmosphere in the Arab world is becoming increasingly tense.

The Gaza Health Ministry held a press conference today, claiming that “the cumulative death toll has so far reached 10,022.” Among these, 4,104 are children, added the health ministry. However, the West, including President Biden, does not fully trust the casualty statistics released by Hamas.

Despite this, the sight of Palestinians, including children and women, being rescued from completely destroyed buildings, receiving treatment in hospitals, and fleeing on foot or on donkey carts is enough to form an international opinion that the Israeli military’s airstrikes and ground operations are excessive compared to Hamas’s surprise attack last month, which resulted in around 1,400 casualties.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei (right) and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (left) are seen meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in Tehran, Iran on November 6 (local time)./AFP·Yonhap News

◇ Organization of Islamic Cooperation to Hold Special Summit in Saudi Arabia on 12th, Iranian President to Attend

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s decision to hold a special summit on the 12th is interpreted as taking into account the increasingly anti-Israel sentiment in the Arab world.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan agreed today to hold an OIC summit aimed at “stopping war crimes in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (by Israel) and providing continuous humanitarian assistance,” according to Israel’s daily newspaper Haaretz.

In particular, the news that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will attend the OIC summit could put the Biden administration on edge. This is because the Biden administration is focusing its diplomatic efforts on preventing Iran from getting involved in any form in Hamas’s surprise attack, and stopping not only Iran but also Iran-supported Sunni armed groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon from directly participating and escalating the situation.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Haggari, the senior spokesman for the Israeli military, said today that ground forces have been operating deep in Gaza City for the past few hours, destroying Hamas’s underground tunnels and significantly weakening their ability to retaliate by eliminating numerous Hamas field commanders since last night.