Pentagon: Civilian Casualties In Gaza 'Too High'

[bigtree]

WASHINGTON (JTA) — An array of Obama administration spokesmen said Israel had to exercise greater caution in avoiding civilian casualties during the current Gaza conflict, citing shelling on a shelter that killed at least 15 people.

“The Israelis have very high standards — and very public standards — for the precautions that they take to protect civilian lives,” Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement emailed to JTA on Thursday.

“That said, the civilian casualties in Gaza have been too high. The Israelis need to do more to live up to their very high standards for protecting civilian life,” he said.

Gaza officials say more than 1,370 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in the battered enclave. Israel says 56 of its soldiers and three civilians have been killed.

read: http://www.jta.org/2014/07/31/news-opinion/politics/obama-spokesmen-urge-israel-to-exercise-greater-caution-with-civilians


White House Calls Shelling Of UN Shelter 'Unacceptable'

from the BBC:

"The US has said the shelling of a UN shelter in Gaza is "totally unacceptable and totally indefensible".

"There is a difference in approach between what Hamas is perpetrating on the Israeli people and what Israel is doing to defend their country," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

"But the shelling of a UN facility that is housing innocent civilians who are fleeing violence is totally unacceptable and totally indefensible, and it is clear that we need our allies in Israel to do more to live up to high standards that they have set for themselves."

Mr Earnest said there was little doubt that the shells were fired by the Israeli military.

read: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28594155


gytha bennett ?@gythab 1h
Is this same Pentagon that just gave IOF access to US military stockpile cos #Israel was running out of bullets?

[Cali_Democrat]

1. Huh?

Since when have the Israelis had high standards when it comes to protecting civilian life?

They've always shown disregard for civilians.

Steve Warren doesn't know what he's talking about.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Warren is just a spokesman.

[4now]

3. In Gaza civilians ARE the target.

[frylock]

4. more meaningless words

[Cali_Democrat]

5. Well shortly after this a temporary ceasefire agreement was announced

Words can lead to action...