Tensions Rise as Biden Adviser Downplays Differences with Israel in Gaza War

Jake Sullivan, President Biden's national security adviser, downplayed differences between the United States and Israel over the war against Hamas in Gaza, stating that both countries expected the pace of the fighting to slow down. While the Biden administration has called for Israel to end its large-scale military campaign within weeks and transition to more targeted operations, Israeli officials have indicated that the operations could take months. The Biden administration has faced pressure to rein in Israel as the Palestinian death toll rises, and U.S. officials have emphasized the need for Israel to reduce civilian casualties and ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid. Telecom services in Gaza have been cut off, leaving the enclave without communication and information, and Israeli soldiers who sang a Jewish prayer in a West Bank mosque are being disciplined. Desperate Gazans in Rafah are stopping U.N. aid trucks and devouring the food on the spot due to acute hunger.