The United States has demanded an explanation from Israel following Tuesday’s horrific attack on a residential building in northern Gaza, which left at least 93 Palestinians dead or missing.
The Gaza health ministry reported that the strike in the town of Beit Lahiya on Tuesday resulted in wounds to dozens of additional people.
Ismail Al-Thawabta, the director of the Gaza government’s media office, revised the number of fatalities to 93 later on Tuesday.
Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, stated that he was unable to provide a specific death toll, but the U.S. was in the process of obtaining additional information. He stated that the incident was “horrifying” and added that the result was equally horrifying.
Earlier this month, the Biden administration sent a letter to Israel, requesting that it take action within the next 30 days to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Failure to do so may result in potential restrictions on U.S. military aid.
Miller stated that the U.S. has not yet made enough advancements in the points outlined in the letter.
In addition, Miller expressed Washington’s “deeply troubled” reaction to Israel’s Monday law prohibiting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), and he warned that the law’s implementation could have consequences under U.S. law and policy.
