A White House official has urged Israel to consider the safety of fleeing Palestinian civilians before embarking on combat operations against Hamas in the south of Gaza. Israel has the right to conduct combat operations, but should not proceed until additional civilians have been accounted for in their military planning. The official also called on Israel to provide enhanced protections for civilians by narrowing the area of active combat and specifying where civilians can seek refuge. This comes as Israel warns civilians in parts of southern Gaza to relocate in preparation for an offensive from the north.