US President Joe Biden has made people look up to Israel with sharp words and note: in the event of an offensive in Rafah, in the far south of the Gaza Strip, Israel would lose the support of the United States. It is “simply wrong” to attack populated population centers. Washington cannot provide the weapons and artillery for this. Meanwhile, the Palestinian militant organization Hamas has rejected further concessions in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip.
“If Israel invades Rafah, I will not provide the weapons that have been used throughout history to fight the problem,” Biden said in an interview with CNN that aired Wednesday evening (local time). Israel will not receive any support from the United States if it attacks dense population centers.
“The bombs that the United States supplied to Israel and are now being released were used to kill civilians,” the US president added. The US government had already withheld a shipment of ammunition from the Israeli army because of Israel’s actions in the city of Rafah.
Netanyahu: Hostages will be released through operations in Rafah
Israeli soldiers entered parts of Rafah in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening. According to its own statements, the army has also taken control of the border crossing on the Palestinian side. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Rafah operation is aimed at freeing the remaining hostages and destroying Hamas. As Israel’s most important ally, the US had repeatedly warned in recent days and weeks about a large-scale ground offensive in Rafah – Biden spoke of a ‘red line’ in March.
Now the US president argued that the Israeli army has not yet “entered the population centers – what they have done is close to the border.” He made it clear to Netanyahu and his war cabinet that they could not count on American support “if they actually went to these population centers.” It is “simply wrong” – and the US cannot provide the weapons and artillery for it.
The US is already blocking ammunition deliveries to Israel
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had recently confirmed that the US was already withholding an ammunition shipment from the Israeli army due to Israel’s actions in Rafah. The U.S. government has made clear from the start that Israel should not launch a major attack in Rafah without considering and protecting civilians in the area, Austin said. While the US government assesses the situation, the supply of ammunition has been halted. He gave no details.
The White House was also very reserved and did not reveal any details. When asked about media reports that the shipment contained thousands of bombs, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said she would not comment.
Civilians killed by US bombs in Gaza
In the CNN interview, Biden was also asked whether any civilians had been killed in Gaza with the type of US bombs whose delivery is currently suspended. Biden said: “Civilians have been killed in Gaza as a result of these bombs and other methods they use to attack population centers.”
At the same time, Biden made clear that the US government would continue to ensure that Israel has sufficient military equipment for its own defense, such as the Iron Dome missile defense system.
No further compromises on the ceasefire in Gaza
Meanwhile, the militant Palestinian organization Hamas is rejecting further concessions in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip. “Israel is not serious about an agreement and is using the negotiations as an excuse to invade Rafah and seize the border crossing,” said Izzat al-Rishq, representative of the Hamas office in Qatar. They will not go further than the ceasefire proposal accepted on Monday.
Israel had previously said the three-phase proposal was unacceptable because the conditions had been watered down. The aim of the ongoing mediation talks in Cairo is to reach a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. Egypt, Qatar and the US mediate in the indirect talks between Hamas and Israel.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
