Posted on 08/10/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
US Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday night commented on the IDF strike on a Hamas command center which was embedded inside a mosque in the Al-Taba’een school compound.
Speaking to reporters during a campaign stop in Phoenix, Harris said Israel needs to do more to avoid civilian casualties.
"Yet again far too many civilians have been killed," she said, adding, "Israel has the right to pursue Hamas terrorists, but it has the responsibility to avoid harming civilians. President Biden and I are working around the clock on a deal that will free the hostages and bring about a ceasefire."
"We need a hostage deal and a ceasefire," stated Harris.
At least 19 terrorists were killed in Saturday’s strike, and care was taken to ensure that as few civilians as possible were affected. However, reports in Gaza claimed that over 100 people, including many civilians, were killed in the strike.
Earlier on Saturday, the US National Security Council Spokesperson Sean Savett said in response to the Israeli strike, "We are deeply concerned about reports of civilian casualties in Gaza following a strike by the Israel Defense Forces on a compound that included a school. We are in touch with our Israeli counterparts, who have said they targeted senior Hamas officials, and we are asking for further details."
Savett acknowledged, "We know Hamas has been using schools as locations to gather and operate out of," but accused, "we have also said repeatedly and consistently that Israel must take measures to minimize civilian harm."
"We mourn every Palestinian civilian lost in this conflict, including children, and far too many civilians continue to be killed and wounded," Savett continued. "This underscores the urgency of a ceasefire and hostage deal, which we continue to work tirelessly to achieve."
The IDF is continuing to investigate the reports of a higher number of casualties, to verify if there is truth to them.
However, the IDF noted that "Hamas has been caught a number of times lying regarding everything connected to IDF strikes and its own strikes."
"Every IDF strike carried out against terrorists is exaggerated by Hamas with no regard for reality. Hamas continues to lie to the world."