US expresses frustration with Israeli military over Gaza strikes

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations on Monday accused the Israeli military of striking schools, aid workers and civilians in Gaza, a sign of growing U.S. frustration with its close ally as the war approaches its first anniversary.

Israel has repeatedly said it was targeting Hamas militants, who often hide with civilians and use them as human shields, in retaliation for the October 7 attacks in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and sparked war in Gaza.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield spoke out unusually against the Israeli military at a UN Security Council meeting, saying many of the strikes in recent weeks that have injured or killed UN personnel and aid workers could have been prevented.

Many council members cited last week's Israeli strike on a former school converted into a civilian shelter run by the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, in which six UNRWA staff members were among at least 18 people killed, including women and children.

Israel said it targeted a Hamas command and control center in the compound, and Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said Monday that Hamas militants were killed in the attack. He named four of them, telling the council they worked for UNRWA during the day and for Hamas at night.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent investigation.

Thomas-Greenfield told Council members that the United States will continue to emphasize the need for Israel to facilitate humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territory and to protect humanitarian workers and facilities such as the UNRWA shelter.

She also reiterated the United States' outrage over the death of Turkish-American activist Aysenur Eygi, who was shot dead last week during a protest in the West Bank. The Israel Defense Forces said she likely killed Eygi by mistake and the government has opened a criminal investigation.

The Israeli army is a professional army and knows very well how to ensure that such incidents do not occur, the US envoy said.

Thomas-Greenfield said the United States expects Israel's military leadership to implement fundamental changes in its operations, including its rules of engagement and procedures, to ensure that military operations do not conflict with humanitarian activities and do not target schools and other civilian facilities.

“We have also made clear to Israel that there is absolutely no reason for its forces to open fire on clearly marked UN vehicles as has happened on numerous occasions recently,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

At the same time, she added, Hamas is also hiding in civilian sites and, in some cases, seizing or using them, which poses a constant threat.

This underscores the urgency of reaching a ceasefire and a deal to release the hostages in Gaza, she said. While the United States is working with its Egyptian and Qatari counterparts to try to convince both sides that the situation is too dire, it ultimately comes down to political will and difficult compromises, she added.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is traveling to Egypt this week for talks aimed at refining a proposal to present to Israel and Hamas.

The United States urges all Council members with influence over Hamas to join others in pressuring its leaders to stop procrastinating, make these compromises, and accept the agreement without delay, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said.

She spoke after the top UN humanitarian official in Gaza said the territory was hell on Earth for its more than 2 million people, calling the lack of effective protection for civilians unacceptable.

Sigrid Kaag, the UN's senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, told council members and reporters that the war had turned the territory into an abyss.

More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli offensive, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Humanitarian operations are hampered by lawlessness, Israeli evacuation orders, fighting and difficult conditions for aid workers, including Israeli denials of access, delays, lack of security and poor logistical infrastructure, Kaag said.

Danon insisted that Israel's humanitarian efforts are unparalleled for a country forced into war and urged the Security Council and the UN to speak out about the facts.

More than a million tonnes of aid has been delivered via more than 50,000 trucks and nearly a million land crossing points, he said, adding that almost no aid has been stopped.

Asked about Danon's statement, Kaag pointed to recent strikes on humanitarian convoys, schools and health facilities of which Israel had received prior notification.

“It’s not about trucks. It’s about what people need,” she said. “We’re very far from what people need, not only on a daily basis, but what we all consider to be a dignified human life.”

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Find more AP coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

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