United States: US President Mr. Joe Biden has stated that he has made it clear to Israeli Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu that taking over Gaza would be “a big mistake.” The President suggested that a two-state solution was the only way to put an end to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
“I made it clear to the Israelis I think it’s a big mistake for them to think they’re going to occupy Gaza and maintain Gaza. I don’t think that works,” Mr. Biden said in a statement to the media.
The Israeli Prime Minister said earlier this month that after the war, Gaza would have to be “demilitarised, deradicalised and rebuilt” and that Israel would need to find a “civilian government” to govern the territory. The Hamas has been running that conclave since 2006.
Mr. Biden asserted he had also warned the Prime Minister about his actions at the al-Shifa hospital. Hamas, the Palestinian armed group, is accused by Israel of having constructed its military headquarters beneath the hospital. However, the hospital officials and Hamas deny the allegation.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas resulted in tragic losses of life on both sides. More than 11,300 Palestinians have been killed. Mr. Biden warned about al-Shifa, reiterating Israeli claims that Hamas has a military headquarters beneath a hospital, and said Hamas was committing war crimes by housing such a facility under a hospital.
“I don’t want to get ahead of myself here because I don’t know what’s happened in the last four hours, but we have gotten great cooperation from the Qataris,” Mr. Biden remarked.