In the Gaza Strip, Arab leaders have not been able to persuade the United States to adopt a neutral stance on Israel’s relentless bombing attacks. They believe an immediate ceasefire is needed in Gaza, but the United States has not agreed to it.
On Saturday, during a press conference in Amman, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri called for an immediate ceasefire, urging US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to support it. Safadi commented on Israel’s ongoing relentless attacks, saying, “We cannot accept it as self-defense. What is happening can never be justified as legitimate. Such attacks will not bring security to Israel or peace to this region.”
However, Blinken stated that if there is a ceasefire, “Hamas would be able to regroup and launch attacks again.” President Joe Biden’s administration has advocated for a humanitarian ceasefire, in order to send aid to Gaza and potentially secure the release of detained individuals held by Hamas.
The unrelenting attacks in Gaza have revealed a division between two close allies of the United States, in Washington and the Middle East. Israel has been carrying out ruthless attacks in Gaza since October 9.
Israel aims to assassinate Yahya Sinwar, the leader of the Hamas-led resistance movement in Gaza. However, despite the continuous and brutal attacks over the past four weeks, he has survived with injuries.
On Saturday, after Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed the news of nine Israeli soldiers being killed in Gaza, the issue of Sinwar was brought up once again.
The Israeli Defense Minister stated, “After the current war, there will no longer be Hamas in Gaza. There will be no threat to Israel from the Gaza Strip.”
It’s worth noting that Israel is not only targeting Sinwar, but is also launching attacks on the residences of other Hamas leaders. On Saturday, they fired missiles at the Gaza home of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. It is not known whether Haniyeh’s family members were present in the house. He has been residing in Turkey and Qatar since 2019.
