“There are many reasons why people come to that conclusion.“, answered Joe Biden when asked if Benjamin Netanyahu was prolonging war in Gaza For political reasons. Just a few days ago, the President of the USA presented a proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The war in Gaza started 8 months agoafter Israel launched an air and ground offensive last October, in response to the attack that Hamas carried out on October 7, 2023, where they murdered about 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostage, according to Israeli counts. Before the complaints of war crimes committed during the conflict, Biden assured that it is “uncertain“if the israeli armed forces they committed such acts.
Biden’s opinion on the war in Gaza
In an interview with TIME magazine, conducted on May 28, Biden He referred to the armed conflict that continues in Gaza. After being asked if Netanyahu was prolonging the war in Gaza for political reasonsthe top American president assured that “There are many reasons why people come to that conclusion.“.
In the midst of negotiations for a ceasefire in the region, the President of the United States also referred to the allegations of war crimes facing the Israeli prime minister. Given this, the Democratic leader said that “It is uncertain“if Israeli forces committed such acts in Gaza.
In recent days, Biden asked Hamas to accept a new offer from Israel on the release of hostages in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza. The plan would consist of 3 stages: six weeks in which there would be a complete ceasefireIsraeli troops would be withdrawn from all populated areas of the Strip and several hostages would be releasedamong them women, the elderly and the injured, in exchange for release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
During that period, Israeli and Hamas authorities should negotiate the details of the second stagewhich would imply “the permanent end of hostilities.” In addition, Biden detailed that during this period the release the rest of the hostages – including soldiers -, and the withdrawal of the Israeli Army from the Strip.
Finally, the last phase would comprise a “great reconstruction plan” of the Palestinian enclave. Lastly, this part also demands the return of the bodies of the hostages murdered.
International pressure on Gaza
Last May 20ththe International Criminal Court (ICC) solicitous arrest warrants against Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accused of war crimes. Both orders refer to crimes against humanity during the October 7 attacks against Israel and the subsequent response of the country led by Netanyahu.
The chief prosecutor of the court, Karim Khan explained that, in addition, the ICC requests arrest warrants against the Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Gallantas well as against two other senior Hamas leaders: Mohammed Diab Ibrahim al-Masri, leader of the Al Qassem Brigades, and Ismail Haniyeh, political leader of Hamas.
The charges against Netanyahu and Gallant include “cause extermination, cause starvation as a method of warfare, including denial of humanitarian aid supplies, deliberately attack civilians in conflict“Khan explained. On the other hand, the prosecutor explained that the accusations against Sinwar, Haniyeh and al-Masri include “extermination, murder, hostage taking, rape and sexual assault during detention“.
Following the request for the orders, a group of ICC judges will now study Khan’s request. For the moment, the court did not issue an opinion on the matter.
Source: Ambito
