Senior politicians from the far-right in Israel have strongly criticized President Biden for his recent warning to the Israeli government. President Biden cautioned that the United States might consider withholding further weapons shipments to the Israeli military if it proceeds with a significant ground assault on Rafah, a city in southern Gaza.
Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, took to social media to share a brief message, accompanied by a heart emoji. In his post, he insinuated that the militant group Hamas, with whom Israel has been engaged in a fierce conflict in Gaza for the past seven months, admired President Biden for his proposal to halt the supply of weapons.
Parliamentarian Dan Illouz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, expressed concern over the actions of the U.S. leader, stating that they pose a threat not only to Israel but to the entire free world.
In a speech commemorating the victory of the allies over Nazi Germany during World War II, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, known for his moderate stance and not being a part of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition government, took the opportunity to express his appreciation for the United States of America, Israel’s “greatest ally.” Herzog personally thanked President Biden for his unwavering support “since the beginning of the conflict.”
According to Herzog, it is important for friends and allies to find a way to resolve disagreements and moments of disappointment. He emphasizes the need to avoid making baseless, irresponsible, and insulting statements and tweets that can harm both national security and the interests of the State of Israel.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Mr. Biden expressed his concern over the potential use of U.S.-supplied weapons in a full-scale Rafah ground offensive that could result in significant civilian casualties. He strongly emphasized that it would be morally unacceptable if the weapons and artillery shells provided by the United States were used in such attacks. Mr. Biden made it clear that if Israel were to proceed with this operation, the U.S. would not support it by supplying the necessary weapons and artillery shells.
U.S. officials have confirmed that last week, the Biden administration temporarily halted the delivery of a weapons shipment to Israel. The shipment included 1,800 one-ton bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs. The reason behind this pause was the concern that the Israel Defense Forces might use these bombs in Rafah.
Gaza City, located in the southern region of Gaza, is known for its high population density. It is considered one of the most densely-inhabited areas in the world, with approximately 1.4 million Palestinians seeking refuge there from various parts of the devastated territory.
The IDF issued an evacuation order for the eastern part of the city this week, causing a panic-stricken exodus of thousands. Many of these individuals had already been displaced multiple times from other areas.
IDF tanks arrived at the Gaza side of Rafah’s vital border crossing with Egypt on Tuesday to assume control. This action was taken shortly after the evacuation order was issued. Israel clarified that its objective was to conduct a targeted counterterrorism operation, aimed at eliminating Hamas terrorists and infrastructure in the vicinity.
According to Mr. Biden, if they choose to enter these population centers, they will not receive our support. He clarified that this decision does not mean we are abandoning Israel’s security, but rather their capability to engage in warfare in those specific regions.
In a recent statement, President Biden emphasized the unwavering commitment of the United States to ensure the security of Israel. He reiterated the importance of supporting Israel’s defense capabilities, namely the Iron Dome, which plays a crucial role in safeguarding the country against recent attacks originating from the Middle East.
Netanyahu recently expressed his stance, despite growing pressure from the U.S. and other international allies to scale back operations in Rafah. He boldly stated that if Israel finds itself standing alone, it will indeed stand alone.
According to Israel, the assault led by Hamas resulted in the death of approximately 1,200 individuals and the capture of around 240 others. It is estimated that there are still around 100 hostages, including five American citizens, who remain in Gaza.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in the enclave, the retaliatory war by Israel has resulted in the deaths of nearly 35,000 individuals. It should be noted that Gazan officials do not differentiate between combatants and civilians when reporting casualties. On the other hand, the IDF claims, without providing evidence, that it has eliminated approximately 10,000 terrorists in response to the attack on October 7th.
As Israel commenced its Rafah operations this week, terrified residents of Gaza have been fleeing from relentless Israeli airstrikes. Consequently, the city’s sole remaining operational medical facility, the Kuwaiti Hospital, has been overwhelmed with an influx of casualties seeking treatment for their injuries.
“The health situation in Rafah has reached a dire state,” expressed Dr. Jamal Al-Humss, the director-general of the hospital, in an interview with CBS News. He emphasized that the facility is currently accommodating approximately 300,000 individuals from Rafah, but due to the overwhelming numbers, it is struggling with overcrowding and a shortage of staff members.
In the past few days, Hamas, which has long been classified as a terrorist group by both the U.S. and Israel, has persistently carried out rocket and mortar attacks from Rafah. Tragically, one of these strikes on Sunday resulted in the loss of four Israeli soldiers’ lives.
According to Chuck Freilich, an Israeli national security expert from the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, it is acknowledged that there are still four Hamas battalions active in Rafah. However, in an interview with CBS News on Thursday, he expressed his belief that Israel had both triumphed and suffered defeat in its war against Hamas.
According to the expert, Israel emerged victorious in the war by December, purely from a military standpoint. He confidently stated, “Hamas was essentially eradicated as a military power.”
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