U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said on Monday that the Biden administration does not see it as likely or possible for Israel to achieve a "complete victory" in defeating Hamas in the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

This phrase is often used by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has repeatedly asserted that such a goal is within reach.

While U.S. officials have urged Israel to help formulate a clear plan for governing Gaza after the war, Campbell's comments are among the clearest yet from a senior U.S. official effectively arguing that the current Israeli military strategy will not lead to the desired outcome.

Campbell said at the NATO Youth Summit in Miami: "In some ways, we are struggling with what a theory of victory is, and sometimes when we listen closely to Israeli leaders, they mostly speak about the idea of... a sweeping victory on the battlefield, a complete victory."

"I don't think that this is likely or possible, and this closely resembles the situations we found ourselves in after the events of September 11, where, after civilian populations were transported and a lot of violence... rebellions continue."

Campbell's remarks come at a time when Washington is warning Israel against proceeding with a major military assault on Rafah, the city located in the far south of the Gaza Strip, where more than a million people have already been displaced by the war.

He compared the situation in Gaza to the recurring insurgencies faced by the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq following its invasions there in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, stating that a political solution is necessary.

Adding, "I believe we see that there needs to be more political solutions... what is different from the past in this sense – that many countries want to move toward a political solution that better respects Palestinian rights."

He asserted, "I don't think it has ever been harder than it is now."

Meanwhile, the White House denied reports that the U.S. withheld intelligence information from Israel regarding the whereabouts of Hamas leaders.

Reports claimed that the U.S. would provide intelligence in exchange for Israel curbing its planned assault on Rafah.

A White House official told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency: "The United States is working with Israel around the clock to track down senior Hamas leaders who were the masterminds of the attacks on October 7."

He added, "We are providing unprecedented support – in ways that only the United States can provide – to help Israel bring them to justice. And we will continue to work tirelessly to achieve this goal in the coming period."

He affirmed, "Any report to the contrary is false. Helping Israel target Hamas leaders and providing any information we have about their whereabouts is a top priority for us, and not a bargaining chip. None of this depends on the operational decisions made by Israel."

The official's statement followed a discussion on the subject during a meeting at the White House with Jewish leaders on Monday. At the meeting – which focused on outlining Biden's strategy to combat anti-Semitism – Rabbi Levi Shmulevitz asked John Feiner, Deputy National Security Advisor, about the alleged bargaining.

The White House confirmed the conversation between Feiner and Shmulevitz, the executive vice president of the American Friends of Chabad (Lubavitch) in Washington, adding that Feiner said: "That's not true."

This strong response comes as the Biden administration seeks to clarify that despite recent tensions, it continues to support the Israeli war effort against Hamas.

Feiner told attendees that he wanted to "clarify" President Joe Biden's decision earlier this month to suspend the delivery of large bombs to Israel as a means of influencing the operation in Rafah.

Biden opposes a widespread invasion as the city has become a refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. Netanyahu says the invasion is necessary to defeat the remaining Hamas brigades.

Israeli media have expressed concern after The Washington Post reported that the Biden administration "offered Israel valuable assistance in an attempt to persuade it to back off, including sensitive intelligence to help the Israeli army locate Hamas leaders and find the group's hidden tunnel headquarters." The newspaper cited four anonymous sources.

On Monday as well, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated that the administration does not consider the killing of Palestinians in Gaza by Israel during the war with Hamas to constitute genocide.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Sullivan said that the United States wants to see Hamas defeated, and that Palestinians stuck in the midst of the war are in "hell," and that any major military operation by Israel in Rafah would be a mistake.

Sullivan said, "We don't believe what is happening in Gaza is genocide, "We have been firmly opposed to that suggestion."

In reiteration of a comment made by Biden over the weekend, Sullivan said a ceasefire in Gaza could be possible now if Hamas released the hostages.

He stated that the world should urge Hamas to return to the negotiating table and accept an agreement, adding that Washington is urgently working toward a ceasefire and a hostage release agreement, but it cannot predict when or if such an agreement will be reached.

The war in Gaza erupted after the massacre perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, which saw about 3,000 terrorists rush across the border into Israel by land, air, and sea, resulting in around 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of 252 hostages amid brutality and sexual assaults. In response, Israel launched the most intense attack in modern history, leading to the deaths of more than 35,000 Palestinians according to the Gaza Health Ministry, confirming that two-thirds of them were women and children.