The White House says it is working to evacuate American doctors trapped in Gaza

On Wednesday, May 15, the White House announced that the Biden administration is working to evacuate American doctors trapped in Gaza after the Rafah border crossing was closed. Following a report by the online publication 'Intercept' that more than 20 doctors and healthcare workers are trapped in Gaza, the U.S. State Department said earlier this week that the Biden administration is aware of the inability to evacuate American doctors from Gaza. The 'Palestinian American Medical Association,' a nonprofit organization based in the United States, stated on Monday that a team of 19 healthcare professionals, including 10 Americans, has been prevented from leaving Gaza after a two-week mission providing medical services at the European Hospital in Khan Younis near Rafah. Israel seized the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on Tuesday, May 7, disrupting a vital route for international aid in and out of the region. Karine Jean-Pierre, White House spokesperson, told reporters on Wednesday, 'We are closely monitoring this situation and are working to evacuate trapped American citizens from Gaza.' She stated that the United States is directly engaging with Israel on this matter. The Biden administration has warned Israel about extensive ground military operations in Rafah, but Jean-Pierre said efforts to evacuate the doctors will continue regardless of what happens there. She emphasized, 'We need to get them out, and we want to get them out, and this has nothing to do with anything else.' Israeli forces fought militants across Gaza on Wednesday, including in Rafah, which is a civilian shelter. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with CNBC on Wednesday regarding opposition to Israel's military operations in Rafah, stated that conducting these operations is necessary to 'protect the lives of the people' of Israel. He said Israel cannot face a future where Gaza remains under Hamas control. Netanyahu described such a scenario as 'not only a major victory for Hamas but also a major victory for the axis of terrorism' represented by the Islamic Republic. He stated that the Islamic Republic is trying to 'entrap us with a deadly rope of which Hamas is a part.' Netanyahu emphasized that victory over Hamas is considered a victory over the Islamic Republic of Iran and estimated that this operation could last several weeks. Following the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of over 250 others, Israel launched comprehensive attacks on Gaza aimed at destroying this Islamist group supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran and freeing the hostages. Since the October 7 terrorist attack, Hamas has repeatedly stated that if able, they would carry out such attacks again. The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, Israel, and several other countries have listed Hamas as a terrorist organization. Netanyahu stated that the Islamic Republic was 'surprised' by the failure of its weapons in the attack on Israel. The ongoing conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants continues in southern and northern Gaza. The Biden administration is sending over one billion dollars in weapons and ammunition to Israel. The European Union has urged Israel to immediately end operations in Rafah; Netanyahu stated that they must continue. Israeli tanks have entered more areas in Rafah. Senior Biden administration officials reiterated their opposition to Israel's 'large military operations' in Rafah.