(NewsNation) — In their first conversation since Israeli airstrikes killed seven food aid workers in Gaza, President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that U.S. policy on Israel will be determined by whether steps are taken to minimize civilian harm in Gaza.
Three World Central Kitchen vehicles were targeted in three separate strikes Monday. While the founder of the aid organization says this was a deliberate attack as the group coordinated its movements with the IDF, Israel has denied this.
Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi, a former senior commander of the IDF, called the deaths of the aid workers “regrettable” but said Israel is doing everything it can to minimize collateral damage in the Israel-Hamas war.
“We have to judge the war according to recognized standards of what happens in wars,” he said on “NewsNation Now” Thursday.
Attacks by both Israel and Hamas since Oct. 7 have raised accusations among international experts that the two sides are violating international law. The United Nation’s top court, in response to a case brought by South Africa, said in January that Israel needs to “take all measures” to prevent a genocide of the Palestinians.
When it comes to Biden’s reported remarks on doing more to protect civilians, Avivi questioned, “What changes does he want to see?”
Avivi said in an interview on “NewsNation Now” that the strike on aid workers was “the first and only incident of its kind” in the war.
Sean Carroll, president and CEO of Anera, a nonprofit that helps refugees in the Middle East, called that claim false and a distortion in a NewsNation interview after Avivi.
Anera had to temporarily pause its aid work in Gaza after the strike.
“It hurts very much” to hear what Avivi said, Carroll told NewsNation, adding that “some 200 humanitarian aid workers have been killed” in Gaza, including Anera worker Mousa Shawwa. Carroll said the organization still doesn’t have an explanation for Shawwa’s death.