By The opinion
Nov 29, 2023, 10:18 PM EST
Officials of the president’s government Joe Biden They are discussing with their Israeli counterparts how to protect thousands of civilians who fled to southern Gaza in case the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) target the area once the lull in fighting with Hamas ends, according to several US officials, according to CNN.
Although International mediators are working to extend a ceasefire that is just hours away from expiring and Israel has agreed to extend the truce one day for every 10 hostages held by militants who are freed, Israel has also vowed to resume the war in an effort to end Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza, But it faces growing international pressure to extend the truce and avoid a devastating ground offensive in southern Gaza like the one that has demolished much of the north.
Among the many options that American and Israeli officials are actively deliberating includes transporting civilians who headed south at the start of the war back to the north once military operations there have ended, a senior US official told CNN.
While much of northern Gaza has already been decimated by fighting and airstrikes, Israel has made clear that it is determined to end its military operations there.
Until now, The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have warned displaced Palestinians not to return from the south.
The transfer of civilians back to the north would represent a major humanitarian challenge, as an estimated 40% to 50% of structures in northern Gaza have been damaged, according to satellite analysis by independent researchers.
Why start operating in the south? A major reason Israel is expected to begin focusing its military operations in southern Gaza is that intelligence suggests Hamas leaders have fled to that region, according to a US official. That official did not say whether it was US or Israeli intelligence.
Privately, Biden administration officials, including President Joe Biden himself, are telling their Israeli counterparts that they do not want the IDF to resume the types of airstrikes from early in the war that caused massive casualties and widespread destruction, they said. several officials. CNN.
Instead, Israel must be “more cautious, more careful, more deliberate and more precise in its objectives,” a senior Biden administration official told CNN.
While it is unclear whether Israel would ultimately agree, some US officials expressed optimism that Israel would be at least receptive to considering such ideas.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues the Biden administration’s push to extend the current “humanitarian pause,” saying Wednesday that “its continuation, by definition, means more hostages would return home and more assistance would come in.”
“Clearly that’s something we want, and I think it’s also something Israel wants,” said Blinken, who will meet in Israel on Thursday.
Once the hostage women and children have been freed, Negotiations will continue to extend the pause in fighting to secure the release of other hostages, including elderly men and, eventually, adults and soldiers of military age.
US pressure campaign occurs as Biden faces divisions within his own party over Israel.
Democratic lawmakers are struggling to unite behind aid to Israel, with some pushing for conditions related to humanitarian aid. Those who oppose putting conditions on aid They have argued that the administration is already very committed to working with Israel to ensure that international laws are respected.
Meanwhile, Biden’s campaign arm on Wednesday tweeted a key line from his speech last week that emphasized the need for a quick and peaceful end to the fighting, suggesting a contrast to the president’s initial strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
Keep reading:
– “Gaza is completely destroyed, have mercy on us”: the harsh reality of daily life in the Strip
– Hamas claims that a baby, his brother and his mother held hostage died in an Israeli attack
– The United States pressures Israel to maintain humanitarian aid in Gaza and reduce Palestinian displacement