US created direct channel with Israel to discuss civilian deaths in Gaza

The United States has created a channel with Israel to discuss its concerns over the conflict in Gaza in which civilians have been killed or injured by the Israeli military and civilian facilities have been attacked, two U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The channel was opened following a meeting this month between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israel's war cabinet, during which Blinken expressed concern about “constant” reports of Israeli attacks that either hit humanitarian locations or resulted in a high number of civilian deaths.

At the meeting, Blinken told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz that Washington needed to know “what the responses are” to reports of attacks and sought to open a “credible channel” to that the United States can raise these issues regularly with Israelis, one of the U.S. officials said.

The existence of this initiative had not yet been publicized and US officials requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive details surrounding it.

The channel comes as a response to growing pressure on the Biden administration over the high number of Palestinian civilian casualties from Israel's campaign against Hamas, which killed more than 25,000 people, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas, and left millions homeless.

It also emphasizes Washington's frustration with Israel's failure to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population, deprived since mid-October of most of the humanitarian aid that previously reached Gaza and of adequate medical treatment for more than 62,000 people who have been injured.

Through the channel, which is already active, the US government raises “concerns about specific incidents” related to Israel's military campaign in Gaza to Israelis, another US official said. The Israelis investigate and provide feedback to the US.