Israel's operation in Rafah doesn't cross US red lines - White House

The US does not believe that Israel has initiated a full-scale invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza, as stated by White House spokesman John Kirby. This statement came after Israeli forces reached the center of the city and reportedly captured a strategically important hill overlooking the nearby border with Egypt. US President Joe Biden had previously declared that he would restrict weapons supplies to Israel if it entered the 'population centers' of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of civilians are still believed to be sheltering. Mr. Kirby was also questioned about an Israeli strike and a resulting fire that resulted in the deaths of at least 45 Palestinians, many of whom were women, children, or elderly, at a camp for displaced people on Sunday. Israel has asserted that the strike targeted and killed two senior Hamas officials and that it believes the fire could have been caused by an explosion at a Hamas weapons store nearby. Speaking to reporters, Mr. Kirby described images from the aftermath of the strike as 'heartbreaking' and 'horrific'. 'There should be no innocent life lost here as a result of this conflict,' he added.