President Biden said in an interview broadcast Sunday night that Israel should not occupy Gaza following a devastating terrorist attack by Hamas, claiming such a move would be a “huge mistake.”
Biden spoke to CBS’ “60 Minutes” in a taped interview Thursday when he was asked about the expected military action in the Gaza Strip by the Israel Defense Forces.
“I think it would be a big mistake,” Biden said when asked if he would support Israel’s occupation of Gaza.
“Look, what is happening in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas do not represent all Palestinians. And I think it is a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again.”
The Israeli government gave 1 million people living in the northern Gaza Strip 24 hours to evacuate before an expected attack on the country.
President Biden appeared on “60 Minutes” to answer questions about the war in Ukraine and Israel. CBS Palestine inspects a mosque destroyed in an Israeli attack in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, October 8, 2023. REUTERS
The Israel Defense Forces have been pounding Gaza with rockets since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
Biden said in an interview that he supports a “humanitarian corridor” that would allow innocent civilians to be spared the slaughter.
“Our team is talking to them about that,” Biden said of potential routes to get citizens out of harm’s way. “Whether there is a channel to get these women and children out of the area at the moment – but it’s difficult.”
People walk around the ruins of buildings destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on October 8, 2023. AFP via Getty Images
The president also said that he wants humanitarian supplies to be brought to Gaza and is “confident” in Israel’s ability to mount a reasonable defense.
“There are standards that democratic institutions and countries go through,” he said. “I am confident that there will be an ability for innocent people in Gaza to have access to medicine and food and water.”
Biden has already sent two aircraft carriers — the USS Eisenhower and the USS Gerald R Ford — with their strike groups to the eastern Mediterranean.
Palestinians search for property in the ruins of Menara Watan, which was destroyed in an Israeli attack.REUTERS
US officials are keen to prevent other actors such as the terrorist group Hezbollah and Iran – perhaps through its proxies – from getting involved in the conflict.
More than 1,300 Israelis and 2,400 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, according to local authorities.
This includes at least 29 Americans who have died, according to the US State Department.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
