US Vice President Kamala Harris said on Sunday that the US has no plans to send troops into Israel.
Speaking to CBS’ “60 Minutes”, Harris was asked how close the war in Gaza is to becoming a regional conflict that could draw in US troops.
“We have absolutely no intention nor do we have any plans to send combat troops into Israel or Gaza, period,” she replied.
Harris also made clear that the US is not telling Israel what to do in the war, but is providing advice, equipment and diplomatic support.
“A terrorist organization, Hamas, slaughtered hundreds of young people at a concert. By most estimates at least fourteen hundred Israelis are dead. Israel, without any question, has a right to defend itself. That being said, it is very important that there be no conflation between Hamas and the Palestinians. The Palestinians deserve equal measures of safety and security, self-determination and dignity, and we have been very clear that the rules of war must be adhered to and that there be humanitarian aid that flows,” she said.
Harris said the US wants to keep the conflict from escalating but that is proving difficult. In the last two weeks, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, both proxies of Iran, have launched missiles, rockets and drones against Israel, and Iranian-backed militias have fired on US troops stationed in Iraq and Syria. In response, the US launched airstrikes against Iranian weapons facilities in Syria.
Asked what is the message to Iran, Harris repeated what President Biden said at two recent speeches, "Don't…One word. Pretty straightforward.”
Since the Hamas attack on Israel, Harris she has spoken with President Isaac Herzog and joined Biden on calls with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Biden and Netanyahu have remained in close contact since the start of the war, and spoke again on Sunday, for the eight time since the war began.
“The President reiterated that Israel has every right and responsibility to defend its citizens from terrorism and underscored the need to do so in a manner consistent with international humanitarian law that prioritizes the protection of civilians,” the White House said in a statement following the call.
“The President and Prime Minister discussed ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release of hostages, to include American citizens who remain unaccounted for and may be held by Hamas,” it added. “The President underscored the need to immediately and significantly increase the flow of humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of civilians in Gaza.”
The statement concluded by saying that Biden and Netanyahu “agreed to remain in regular consultation both directly and through their respective national security teams.”