WASHINGTON: The Bid­en administration is strongly urging Israel to exercise caution in military assault in South Gaza, and to create areas of ‘deconfliction’ in the south to prevent civilian casualties.

These protected areas would spare United Nations facilities and shelters from active military engagements. The focus is on avoiding a replication of the extensive destruction witnessed in the northern region.

With over two million people concentrated in central and southern Gaza due to displacement caused by Israeli airstrikes, the US emphasises the need to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.

The proposed strategy aims to protect civilian sites, including electricity and water stations, humanitarian facilities, hospitals, and UN-supported shelters. The recent ceasefire with Hamas allowed increased aid efforts, but challenges persist with over one million Palestinians displaced in Gaza.

A senior US official disclosed the proposed strategy at a news briefing on Monday night, stating: “You cannot have the sort of scale of displacement that took place in the north, replicated in the south.”

The US call also highlighted the precarious situation in Gaza, stressing that any significant further displacement would overwhelm existing support networks.

The truce, brokered with Hamas, allowed humanitarian groups to increase aid efforts to address acute shortages of essential supplies. Aid organisations estimate that over 1 million Palestinians in Gaza are displaced, living in overcrowded shelters, which increases risk of communicable diseases.

The United Nations, US lawmakers, and advocacy groups want Israel to protect civilians caught in the crossfire.

The proposed “areas of deconfliction,” distinct from the “safe zones” previously encouraged by Israel in the north. “What we are talking about are practical arrangements on the ground, multiple arrangements, what you might call areas of deconfliction,” the US official who briefed the media clarified.

In specifying the US stance on the forthcoming military aggression in Gaza’s south, the senior administration official emphasised the need for extreme care. The priority lies in safeguarding civilian sites, including electricity and water stations, humanitarian facilities, hospitals, and numerous UN-supported shelters located throughout south and central Gaza.

The official’s statements echo the administration’s commitment to practical measures that would protect civilian populations and vital infrastructure.

“What we are talking about are practical arrangements on the ground, multiple arrangements, what you might call areas of deconfliction,” the official reiterated, “where based on the best judgment of people there, or people who may wish to come there, would not be subject to kinetic activity.”

As tensions persist in the region, the international community closely watches the delicate balance between military objectives and the imperative to prevent further humanitarian crises. The Biden administration’s calls for restraint and targeted military actions reflect a nuanced approach to addressing the complex challenges in the Gaza Strip.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2023