US President Joe Biden has said that any attempt by Israel to reoccupy the Gaza Strip would be a “big mistake” as the Israel-Hamas conflict intensifies. While Israeli forces were preparing for a ground invasion, Biden made the comments in an interview that was made public on Sunday.
Over 1,400 Israelis died as a result of the Hamas strike on October 7. At least 2,670 people have died in Gaza as a result of its retaliatory assaults in the following days. More than a million residents in northern Gaza have been told by Israel to migrate south in preparation for the operation after Israel declared war on the Palestinian group.
When asked if he would back the American ally occupying Gaza, Biden said, “I believe it’d be a terrible mistake.” He said on the CBS television show 60 Minutes that Hamas “doesn’t represent all the Palestinian people.” But he went on to say that invading and “taking out the extremists” is a “necessary requirement.”
When asked whether Hamas had to be completely destroyed, he said, “Yes, I do.” But a Palestinian authority is required. He added, reinforcing the US demand for a two-state solution that there must be a route to a Palestinian state.
The possibility of US soldiers enlisting in the conflict was another issue put to Biden. He said, “I don’t think that’s necessary,” in response. The best combat forces in the nation are in Israel. I can assure you that we will provide them all they need.
In a potent display of solidarity for Israel, the US had already sent two aircraft carriers to the eastern Mediterranean at the time of Biden’s declaration. The US State Department said on Sunday that there have now been 30 US fatalities as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
We can now confirm the deaths of 30 Americans. The victims and the families of everyone impacted deserve our sincere sympathies, the State Department stated in a statement. Additionally, the US is aware of 13 missing citizens and has contacted their relatives. At least 155 individuals are said to be being held captive in Gaza by Hamas. Although their locations remain unknown to the general world, their relatives have been pleading for their release.
The American government, according to a statement, “is working around the clock to determine their whereabouts and is working with the Israeli government on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and sending experts from across the US government to advise the Israeli government on hostage recovery efforts.
