Biden criticizes Netanyahu government's 'mistake' in Gaza

"A mistake": US President Joe Biden issued one of his strongest criticisms of military strategy at the time. Gaza of Benjamin Netanyahu's government which must justify its level of humanitarian aid to the Supreme Court on Wednesday this Palestinian territory threatened of famine.

Six months after the start of the war triggered by the bloody attack carried out by the Islamist movement Hamas against Israel, Israeli military operations continue in the Gaza Strip with, during the night, deadly strikes in the north and center of the territory, according to witnesses, as Muslims around the world celebrate Eid el-Fitr on Wednesday, the holiday marking the end of Ramadan.

In Cairo, countries mediators – Qatar, Egypt, United States – put on the table on Sunday a new proposal in three stages.

The first provides for a six-week truce, the release of 42 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for 800 to 900 Palestinians incarcerated by Israel, the entry of 400 to 500 trucks of food aid per day and the return home of residents of the northern Gaza Strip displaced by the war, according to a source within Hamas.

Hamas said it was “studying the proposal” before transmitting its response to mediators, adding that Israel “had not responded to any ” of his requests. The White House on Tuesday deemed these statements “not very encouraging”.

“What I'm asking is that the Israelis call for a ceasefire, that they allow for the next six or eight weeks full access to food and medicine coming into the country,” he said on Tuesday. evening US President Joe Biden in an interview with the Spanish-speaking channel Univision.

“I think what he is doing is a mistake. I don't agree with his approach,” he added in response to a question about the conduct of the war in Gaza by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose security cabinet met Tuesday evening to discuss the truce plan.

– “100 years ago” –

Despite warnings from foreign capitals, including from his American ally, Mr. Netanyahu says he is determined to launch a ground offensive in Rafah, which he presents as the last major bastion of Hamas, in power since 2007 in the Gaza Strip. .

A child walks near the rubble of a destroyed building on April 9, 2024 in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. © AFP – –

This border town with Egypt is home, according to the UN, to around a million and a half people, the majority displaced, leading to fears of a worsening human toll in the event of a land offensive there.

Israel announced on Sunday the withdrawal of its troops from the large neighboring city of Khan Younes, destroyed after several months of fighting. “We went back 100 years. As you can see, there is no shelter, no clothes, no water supply, no roads, and people are trying to manage the situation,” he told AFP. Salim Chourab, a Palestinian returning to his town.

“What can we say except that God is sufficient for us and that he is our best ally? Honestly, I don't know where my house is anymore, I mean it's in this area, but I don't know exactly where,” he added among the rubble.

Southern Gaza Strip © AFP – Sophie RAMIS, Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA

The soldiers withdrew from Khan Younes in order to prepare “the continuation of their missions in the Rafah area”, underline the Israeli authorities.

“We will complete the elimination of Hamas battalions, including in Rafah. No force in the world will stop us,” Mr. Netanyahu declared again on Tuesday. But according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, an Israeli operation in Rafah does not seem “imminent”.

– “Radical change” –

Israel is also facing very strong international pressure to let more aid flow into the territory threatened by famine according to the UN. In mid-March, five NGOs submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court in the hope that the authorities would “respect their obligations as an occupying power” by providing all necessary aid to the civilian population of Gaza.

After a first hearing last week, the court gave the government until April 10 to answer a series of questions on humanitarian policy in Gaza.

On the eve of this deadline, authorities said that 468 trucks entered the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the highest number in one day since the start of the war.

“We are seeing a radical change that we hope will continue and expand,” the head of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power told the Senate on Tuesday, calling on Israel to let in more than 500 trucks per day because “conditions are approaching famine in Gaza” after six months of uninterrupted violence.

The war broke out on October 7 when Hamas commandos infiltrated from the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented attack in southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to a report established by the AFP based on official Israeli figures.

In retaliation, Israel vowed to “annihilate” Hamas – which it considers a terrorist organization as do the States – United and the European Union – and launched an offensive which has so far left 33,360 dead in Gaza, the majority civilians, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health.

Family members of Israeli hostages speak to the press after a meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris, April 4, 2024 in Washington © AFP – ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS

More than 250 people were kidnapped on October 7 and 129 remain detained in Gaza, including 34 who died, according to Israeli officials. On Tuesday, families of hostages met with US Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House.

“We want to see results, we need our loved ones home at home,” Rachel Goldberg, whose son, Hersh, was kidnapped, said after the meeting.

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