On MSNBC’s “The Andrea Mitchell Report” on Friday, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. “continues to pressure” Israel not to enter Rafah and move people from the area. He said it was “impossible” to do so. Thomas-Greenfield added: “It is important to defeat the terrorist organization Hamas. But we also need to know that innocent Palestinians, caught in the crossfire and used as human shields by Hamas, continue to suffer. We also need to ensure that we are not harmed by this.”
Thomas-Greenfield said: “Well, for now, he hasn’t gone to Rapha. And we know that that decision is a very difficult one for all of us, so , we continue to pressure the Israelis not to make that decision. And that’s the message we continue to give the Israelis. The president gave this message: [Prime Minister] Netanyahu. He is speaking to the nation, but we must continue to pressure him not to take any action that would not be in Israel’s interest, and certainly not in the interests of the people on the ground. 1.5 million people are sitting in that small space. It would be impossible to move those people. Therefore, we must strive to continue supporting the Israelis. We want to help them defeat Hamas. It is important to defeat the terrorist organization Hamas. But we also need to ensure that there is no continued victimization of innocent Palestinians caught in the crossfire and used as human shields by Hamas. ”
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