U.S. and Israel disagree over length of Rafah evacuation timeline - report
Israeli authorities asserted that evacuating over one million Palestinians from Rafah could be accomplished within approximately four weeks
In a high-level virtual meeting on Monday, U.S. and Israeli officials clashed over the timeline and feasibility of evacuating Rafah, the southern-most city in the Gaza Strip home to the last stronghold of the Hamas terrorist group.
According to reports from Axios, Israeli authorities asserted that evacuating over one million Palestinians from Rafah could be accomplished within approximately four weeks.
However, senior Biden administration officials countered this assessment, suggesting that the process might realistically extend to around four months—a projection promptly dismissed by Israeli officials.
The discordance in viewpoints underscores the challenges ahead as both parties grapple with the urgency of addressing the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza against the backdrop of Israel's security concerns.
Sources familiar with the discussions emphasized the pressing need to find common ground, acknowledging the complex nature of the situation.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reportedly raised concerns about a potential famine declaration for Gaza by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) organization in the coming weeks. Such a declaration, Sullivan warned, would have significant ramifications for both Israel and the US, marking the third such declaration of the 21st century.
In response, Israeli officials disputed the validity of the IPC's assessments, challenging the urgency of the situation.
However, U.S. counterparts pointed out that Israel's rejection of the IPC's findings places it in a unique position among governments.