More time for negotiations and aid supplies: According to the media, the USA wants to convince Israel to delay the announced ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. But there is no pressure from Washington.
According to a newspaper report, the USA has advised Israel to hold off on its announced ground offensive in the Gaza Strip to fight the Islamist Hamas organization. The US government hopes to get more time for negotiations to release the more than 200 hostages in the hands of Hamas, the New York Times reported on Sunday (local time), citing US government officials. In addition, further civilian casualties should be avoided and more aid supplies should reach the population in the sealed-off Gaza Strip.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the ground offensive after Hamas killed hundreds of people and kidnapped more than 200 in terrorist attacks on Israeli territory on October 7th. Since the attack, Israel’s army says it has attacked hundreds of Hamas targets in the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Deter possible attacks on US targets in the region
On Friday, Hamas surprisingly released two US hostages. This spurred the US government to advise Israel to postpone the ground offensive, the newspaper quoted government officials as saying. The Islamist group, which is classified as a terrorist organization in the US and the EU, among others, has warned that a ground offensive would make the release of further hostages very unlikely, the New York Times quoted an official familiar with the hostage negotiations as saying. These discussions were mainly about Qatar, which has close ties to Hamas’ political leaders.
By postponing the ground offensive, the US also wanted to gain more time to prepare for attacks by pro-Iranian groups on US targets in the region, the newspaper continued. Such attacks are likely to increase as soon as Israel’s troops move into the Gaza Strip.
The US government is making no demands on Israel and continues to support the ground invasion and Israel’s goal of eliminating Hamas, US government officials said, according to the New York Times. Iran supports the Islamist Hamas.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
