The Biden administration has advised Israel to end its large-scale ground and air campaign in the Gaza Strip within weeks and transition to a more targeted phase in its war against Hamas, according to American officials.
Jake Sullivan, Mr. Biden’s national security adviser, met with Israeli leaders on Thursday to discuss the direction of the war. Four American officials, speaking anonymously, said that Mr. Biden wants Israel to switch to more precise tactics in about three weeks.
During a speech on prescription drug costs, Mr. Biden stated, “I want them to be focused on how to save civilian lives — not stop going after Hamas, but be more careful.”
The proposed new phase would involve smaller groups of elite forces carrying out more precise missions to find and eliminate Hamas leaders, rescue hostages, and destroy tunnels within population centers in Gaza.
The United States’ efforts to accelerate the transition come as differences between the two countries have become more apparent. Mr. Biden recently stated that Israel was losing international support due to the “indiscriminate bombing” of Gaza.
Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, stated that the campaign against Hamas would last “more than several months” and that destroying Hamas was essential to Israel’s security.
U.S. officials clarified that the transition to more targeted operations does not mean Israel will stop hunting down Hamas leaders, and that these efforts will continue for months even after the transition is made.
Israeli leaders presented their own timeline for transitioning to a more targeted campaign, which was slower than the one favored by Mr. Biden and his advisers.
Mr. Sullivan did not direct or order Israeli leaders to make the transition, but the U.S. is pushing for a faster change in tactics.
Philippe Lazzarini, the director of the United Nations agency that assists Palestinians, described the conditions in Gaza as a “living hell.” Fighting has intensified, leaving hundreds of thousands of Gazans without sufficient resources and sanitation.
The conflict has also tested Mr. Biden’s leverage over Israel, as the U.S. provides significant security assistance to the country. While Mr. Biden has supported Israel’s right to respond to the Oct. 7 attack, he has also called for more protection of civilians.
The United States and Israel have differing views on who should control Gaza after the war, with American officials favoring the Palestinian Authority and Mr. Netanyahu ruling it out for now.