Israel-Hamas war: Biden warns Israel against occupying Gaza, may visit Israel

US President Joe Biden delivered a stern warning on Sunday against Israel's reoccupation of the Hamas-controlled Gaza territory. This comes in the wake of one of the deadliest surprise attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,400 Israelis, including at least 29 American citizens.

In an interview with CBS News, President Biden voiced his concern about Israel's potential reoccupation of the Gaza Strip, stating, "I think it'd be a big mistake. Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas, and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again."

While advocating against reoccupation, the President also underscored the importance of addressing the extremist elements in the region, asserting, "But there needs to be a Palestinian Authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state. I’m confident that Israel is going to act under the rules of war," Biden added.

Furthermore, a senior official in the Biden administration, speaking to the Associated Press, disclosed that the US President is considering a visit to Israel in the coming days. The travel plans remain tentative, with ongoing discussions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended an invitation to President Biden for a "solidarity visit."

President Biden emphasized the fundamental distinction between Israel's response to Hamas and the civilian population's plight. "Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust," he remarked. "So I think Israel has to respond. They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They’re hiding behind the civilians. The Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians," he added.

Michael Herzog, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, confirmed to CNN’s Jake Tapper that Israel has no intentions to occupy Gaza following the conflict. He stated, "We have no desire to occupy or reoccupy Gaza. We have no desire to rule over the lives of more than 2 million Palestinians."

As the situation escalates, Israel has intensified its bombardment of Gaza and is preparing for a ground invasion. The Israeli military is establishing a base, deploying tanks and weaponry along the Gaza border, in preparation for a "coordinated attack from the air, sea, and land" on the Hamas-controlled area.

According to a report from the Times of Israel, the Israeli Air Force has been conducting sorties over the Gaza Strip, acquainting top ground forces commanders with the territory.

Notably, Israel has called upon residents in the affected areas to evacuate and move south. In contrast, Hamas has urged Gaza residents to disregard these evacuation warnings. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Hamas has set up roadblocks to prevent Palestinians from evacuating, and photos released by the IDF illustrate these roadblocks obstructing the flow of traffic to the south.

The ongoing conflict has inflicted a severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Hospitals are inundated with wounded patients, and critical resources such as fuel and essential supplies are rapidly depleting. The situation has further deteriorated due to Israel's cutoff of resources to the Gaza Strip.

As the conflict persists, the death toll in Gaza continues to rise, with an estimated 3,000 people losing their lives.

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