The al-Shifa hospital raid shows the limits of US influence on Israel

Joe Biden’s administration has made clear it does not want to see ‘firefights’ inside hospitals in Gaza, writes Kim Sengupta in Tel Aviv. Given Israel has gone ahead regardless, what diplomatic price could they pay?

Medics inside al-Shifa hospital, which Israel claims is concealing a Hamas command and control facility (Gaza Ministry of Health via Reuters)

The attack on al-Shifa hospital has shown the apparent limits of the influence of the US, the main international ally of Israel, on military decisions taken by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in the Gaza conflict.

The US administration of Joe Biden has stressed that it does not wish to see Israeli forces carrying out assaults on medical facilities, and has counselled extreme caution on the part of the Israeli military while conducting operations in surrounding areas.

President Biden said: “My hope and expectation is that there will be less intrusive action relative to hospitals. I remain somewhat hopeful, but the hospital must be protected.” His national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, wanted to reinforce the US president’s message: “The position of the United States on this matter is clear. Hospitals should be protected. The United States does not want to see firefights in hospitals where innocent people, patients receiving medical care, are caught in the crossfire.”