Israel‑Hamas war pause likely delayed, US official says
Photo: US Senator Lindsey Graham (Getty Images)
In an interview with CNBC, US Senator Lindsey Graham stated that, in his view, Israel has concluded that ending the war with Hamas under conditions that would guarantee the country's security is impossible.
In particular, Senator Lindsey Graham said he believes Israel has concluded "that they can't achieve a goal of ending the war with Hamas that would be satisfactory to the safety of Israel."
Graham, referencing US President Donald Trump's position, emphasized that negotiations with Hamas are a dead end.
"They are religious Nazis whose goal is to destroy Israel," the American senator declared.
He believes Israel is preparing for a large-scale military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
"They’re going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin, take the place by force and start over again, presenting a better future for the Palestinians, hopefully having the Arabs take over the West Bank and Gaza," Senator Lindsey Graham said.
A US high-ranking official also expressed hope that, in the long term, control over the West Bank and Gaza would be transferred to Arab administration.
Negotiations collapse
Reuters reported that on Friday, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu essentially rejected the possibility of negotiations with Hamas regarding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. According to them, the Palestinian group has no intention of making any kind of deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that "alternative" paths to achieving Israel's goals are now being considered, including the return of hostages and the overthrow of Hamas rule in Gaza.
Yesterday, Trump said that Israel would soon have to make a decision on the next steps in Gaza.
Israel to pause fighting in Gaza
On July 27, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officially announced daily humanitarian pauses in combat operations in Gaza. These pauses will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time and will apply only to certain areas, to allow safe delivery of humanitarian aid.
In addition, Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen stated that Israel has decided to increase the volume of humanitarian aid to Gaza in order to avoid possible sanctions from the European Union.
