US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that the US has yet to Israel’s plan for Rafah, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that the Prime Minister has approved the plan of action for the Gazan city.
Speaking to reporters in Austria, Blinken said, "We have to see a clear and implementable plan, not only to get civilians out of harm's way but also to make sure that once they are out of harm's way, they are appropriately cared for.”
A National Security Council spokesperson told NBC News later on Friday that the council also has not seen the plan, and reiterated White House conditions that any military action in the city focuses on civilian safety.
"We have been clear about the need to prioritize civilian protection," the spokesperson said. "We have not seen a plan from Israel related to Rafah."
US officials have been vocal in their opposition to a large-scale Israeli operation in Rafah. On Wednesday, Politico reported that senior US officials have told their Israeli counterparts the Biden administration would support an operation in Rafah as long as Israel avoids a large-scale invasion.
On Saturday, during an interview with MSNBC, Biden said that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would be a red line but also said in the same breath that crossing it would not result in punitive measures against Israel.
“It is a red line, but I am never going to leave Israel,” Biden said. “The defense of Israel is still critical, so there’s no red line I’m going to cut off all weapons.”
Speaking at a news briefing on Tuesday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan tried to walk back those comments.
“The President didn't make any declarations or pronouncements or announcements. The red line came up in a question he was responding to that question. I think he gave a full answer to it,” Sullivan told reporters.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)