White house says US didn't know about Israel raid on Shifa hospital beforehand

US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby on Wednesday said that the United States did not sign off on Israel's raid on Shifa hospital.

Kirby, responding to questions about the timing of the operation and his statement that the US knows Hamas militants shelter in hospitals, said the United States doesn't expect advance notice from Israel before its military operations.

“We did not give an OK to their military operations around the hospital,” Kirby said, speaking to reporters from San Francisco, where President Joe Biden was preparing to meet with China's leader on Wednesday. “We don't expect the Israelis to inform us.” Kirby suggested the timing of his announcement about US intelligence findings that Hamas uses hospitals for command and control and for shelter followed the Israeli military operation was a coincidence. He said his delivery of some “downgraded” intelligence information “had nothing to do with operational timing.” He said “it is a violation of the law of war to headquarter yourself in a hospital” and that what Hamas is doing in that regard should not be forgotten. Kirby said Shifa is an “active, legitimate hospital.