Former US President Barack Obama stated on Monday that some of Israel’s strategies in its war against Hamas, such as cutting food and water to Gaza, could “harden Palestinian attitudes for generations” and reduce international support for Israel. Obama stated in an statement on a current foreign policy problem that any Israeli military plan that ignores the human cost of the conflict “could ultimately backfire.” “The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water and electricity to a captive civilian population (in Gaza) threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region,” Obama stated.
1,400 people, Israel has heavily bombed Gaza with airstrikes. Over 5,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
At least 110 people, including women and children, have died as a result of multiple Israeli airstrikes around the Gaza Strip late on Monday and early on Tuesday, according to a medical source. The al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza, al-Balad in Jabaliya, the al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, and two southern areas—Rafah and Khan Younis—were all struck by the attacks.
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Obama issued a warning about the dangers such wars pose to civilians while condemning Hamas’ attack and reaffirming his support for Israel’s right to self-defense.
The eight-year vice president of the United States, Joe Biden, may or may not have coordinated Obama’s statement.
When Israel engaged in wars with the Hamas in Gaza during his president, Obama frequently supported Israel’s right to self-defense. However, as soon as Palestinian losses from airstrikes increased, Obama urged for Israeli restraint.
The Obama administration attempted to mediate a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, but ultimately was unable in doing so.
Biden has not attempted to reopen long-stalled negotiations since taking office in early 2021, citing the unsuitable circumstances.
During his presidency, Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a tense relationship, which continued even during the Obama administration’s nuclear deal negotiations with Iran.
Obama admitted in his remarks that the US has “fallen short of our higher values when engaged in war,” particularly in the wake of the events of September 11, 2001.
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“War is always tragic, and even the most carefully planned military operations often put civilians at risk. As President Biden noted during his recent visit to Israel, America itself has at times fallen short of our higher values when engaged in war, and in the aftermath of 9/11, the U.S. government wasn’t interested in heeding the advice of even our allies when it came to the steps we took to protect ourselves against Al Qaeda. Now, after the systematic massacre of Israeli citizens, a massacre that evokes some of the darkest memories of persecution against the Jewish people, it’s understandable that many Israelis have demanded that their government do whatever it takes to root out Hamas and make sure such attacks never happen again.”
“Moreover, Hamas’ military operations are deeply embedded within Gaza — and its leadership seems to intentionally hide among civilians, thereby endangering the very people they claim to represent.”, he added.
