Biden acknowledged that US bombs provided to Israel have killed Gaza civilians in the seven-month-old offensive aimed at annihilating Hamas
US President Joe Biden for the first time publicly vowed to withhold weapons from Israel if its forces make a major invasion of Rafah in southern Gaza while negotiations in Cairo on a ceasefire plan for the enclave were due to continue on Thursday.
“I made it clear that if they go into Rafah …, I’m not supplying the weapons,” Biden, whose administration has repeatedly asked Israel for its plan to protect civilians in Rafah, said on Wednesday in an interview with CNN.
Biden acknowledged that US bombs provided to Israel have killed Gaza civilians in the seven-month-old offensive aimed at annihilating Hamas.
Biden’s comments, his starkest to date, increase the pressure on Israel to refrain from a full-scale assault on Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have sought refuge after fleeing combat farther north in Gaza.
There was no immediate comment from Israel on Biden’s remarks, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the Rafah operation would go ahead. Israel says it must hit Rafah to defeat thousands of Hamas fighters it says are there.
Amidst escalating tensions, the United States has issued a stark warning to Israel regarding the ongoing Rafah invasion. In response to the US warning, Israel must carefully consider the implications of its actions in Rafah. The invasion not only threatens to disrupt the delicate balance of power in the region but also jeopardizes crucial alliances.
As the situation unfolds, diplomatic efforts must be intensified to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Israel’s handling of the Rafah invasion will be closely scrutinized, with implications that extend far beyond its immediate military objectives.
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