As the Israeli military prepares to resume the counter-terrorism operation in Gaza, President Joe Biden has placed conditions on IDF operations against the terror group Hamas, the Israeli and U.S. media report. The ceasefire, which began on November 24 as part of the hostages-for-terrorists deal, is expected to end on Tuesday or Wednesday — depending on the status of negotiations to secure the release of additional Israeli captives.
The Biden White House wants Israel to scale down its military operations once the ceasefire ends — reducing the momentum of the Israeli ground offensive inside the terrorist-infested territory. “President Biden has apparently told Israeli government officials that when the IDF ground campaign moves into the southern part of Gaza, maximum efforts must be made not to produce further significant displacement of civilians,” the Israeli TV channel i24NEWS reported Tuesday. “In a briefing by senior administration officials with reporters, the U.S. leader has repeatedly said the IDF should not “replicate” what took place in northern Gaza during the first part of the ground incursion, during which hundreds of thousands of civilians were moved to a humanitarian zone in southern Gaza.”
The news comes amid growing pressure from Democrats on the Hill to put ‘conditions’ on Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
“Israel agreed on Monday to a two-day extension of its truce with Hamas to gain the release of more hostages, a priority of President Biden. But another idea is gaining ground among Democrats that is more dangerous: condition U.S. aid on how Israel conducts its war of self-preservation,” the WSJ noted. “The stipulation is said to be merely that Israel follow international law. But since Israel does follow international law, and the U.S. already can withhold foreign assistance on human-rights grounds, the condition is unnecessary—but not harmless. During wartime, it would signal to Israel’s enemies that the U.S. has gone wobbly on the campaign to destroy Hamas.”
On Sunday, The New York Times also reported the Biden administration’s “warning'” to Israel over its future conduct of military operations against the Islamic terror group in Gaza. “United States has warned Israel that it must fight more surgically and avoid further mass displacement of Palestinians,” the NYT reported Sunday. “The statements are the Biden administration’s strongest warning to Israeli officials to date about the next phase of their military operation.”
While the Biden White House wants Israel to fight with one hand tied behind its back, Hamas broke the ceasefire by opening fire and detonating explosives near IDF troops in northern Gaza, injuring several soldiers.
The Israeli broadcaster Arutz Sheva reported Hamas’s ceasefire breach:
Over the last hour, three explosive devices were detonated adjacent to IDF troops in two different locations in the northern Gaza Strip, violating the framework of the operational pause. In one of the locations, terrorists also opened fire at the troops, who responded with fire.A number of soldiers were lightly injured during the incidents.In both incidents, the troops were located in positions as per the framework of the operational pause.The three explosions occurred during the fifth day of the ceasefire, which was extended yesterday (Monday) from its original four days. With the extension of the ceasefire, an additional 20 Israeli hostages will be freed today and tomorrow, ten each day.
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir urged Prime Minister Netanyahu to respond to Hamas’sbreach of truce, saying, “We cannot wait for them to kill our fighters.”
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