Denunciation of the Israeli military operations in Gaza which have killed an estimated 11,000 Palestinian civilians — including thousands of young children — continues to grow, both by US lawmakers as well as leaders of the international community.
Israeli forces have been striking within densely populated Gaza since Hamas launched its brutal attacks against Israel on October 7.
The Gaza Health Ministry has put the Palestinian death toll since the war began at more than 11,000. Israel says more than 1,200 Israelis have lost their lives, the vast majority on October 7, the day militants swept into Israeli villages in a murderous rampage that stunned the world.
That Israeli forces would kill so many Palestinian civilians has increasingly raised alarms both in the United States and internationally, which in turn, has increased calls for a ceasefire in the conflict.
“Yes, I don't think you or I think we have two or four years to deal with this, right? This has got to be immediate. That’s why we are saying, ‘Immediately stop the bombing, immediately stop the cessation of hostilities,’” said Rep Mark Pocan (D-Wis), who has become a leading voice against further killing of Palestinian civilians. “A cease-fire, in official language, sets up a process that eventually, two weeks or two months, you stop the bombing. That’s too long. We need to stop the bombing now, and that’s why we’re trying to get more members to be saying that and pushing the White House to say that.
“But, I mean, come on, a resolution in Congress with [Republican House Speaker] Mike Johnson is probably not gonna ever do the right thing. We all know that,” Pocan added. “So let’s make sure that we’re focusing on every possible way to make sure that no more bombs are hitting hospitals or schools or refugee camps.”
Rep Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash) directly criticized the Biden administration for not doing more to protect Palestinian civilians.
President Biden has largely stood steadfastly with Israel since the October 7 attacks.
“It may be true that we cannot control the ultimate thing that Israel does, but what we can control is our involvement in military equipment that is being used to bomb Gaza. That is just not acceptable,” Jayapal said in an appearance on MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin’s program. “And for those people who think that this is some solution to ending Hamas, I will just say that experts — and you are, I think, that’s why I wanted to come on your show, Ayman, because you are so knowledgeable about the subject — but there is no chance that we are going to achieve the goals that even the United States and Israel, everybody wants to see, which is the hostages returned, Hamas disabled, and humanitarian aid into Gaza, and a forward process for Israel and Palestine to live — the Palestinians to live side by side, with security.
“That is not going to happen with this approach, it needs to change. And the United States is increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, so it is time for us to call for a cease-fire,” Jayapal added. “I hope that the Biden administration understands all of the repercussions and ramifications of continuing to support Israel without any conditions, because I think it is very severe internationally and domestically.”
There needs to be a long-term political solution to the crisis, according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“Well, I think we need to work for what could be a best-case scenario. I mean, usually, politicians transform opportunities into problems. I hope that it will be possible to transform this problem into an opportunity,” he said. “The best-case scenario would be that reinvigorated Palestinian Authority would be able to assume the leadership also in Gaza, and then that Israel would accept to seriously negotiate a two-state solution with the support of the international community. That is the best-case scenario.
“For the best-case scenario to be possible, the question of how does the military operation end and how is the establishment of an authority by the Palestinian Authority is the complex one. And that is where a transition is necessary,” Guterres added. “I understand it will be very difficult for Palestinian Authority or for a group of Arab countries to come to assume responsibilities in Gaza in the presence of an Israeli army.
“I understand the difficulty, politically, to be very sensitive. So to organize the transition is something that is very important. And I have to say that there is a country that in my opinion has particular capacity and particular responsibility to contribute to it, and that is the United States of America,” he said. “And I have to pay tribute, independently of many other aspects, in relation to putting pressure on Israel for humanitarian aid to be delivered in Gaza, the U.S. has been consistently in support of that.”
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