US President Joe Biden is contemplating a visit to Israel, though no concrete travel plans have been confirmed at this stage. This comes as Israel's military intensifies its daily bombardment of the besieged Palestinian enclave of Gaza, with a devastating human toll already surpassing 2,600 Palestinian lives lost.
The prospective visit is overshadowed by mounting concerns that an Israeli military foray into Gaza could trigger a broader, catastrophic conflict. Such a move could be perceived as provocative by Iran and potentially seen as insensitive by Arab nations, particularly as civilian casualties continue to mount in Gaza.
To prevent the escalation of the conflict with Hamas, the group governing Gaza, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been actively engaged in diplomacy throughout the Middle East in recent weeks.
An anonymous senior U.S. administration official, unable to publicly disclose internal discussions regarding presidential travel, revealed these considerations to The Associated Press on Sunday.
President Biden recently made his most robust public statements to urge restraint on Israel's part, following the October 7 attacks by Hamas, which claimed more than 1,400 lives, including at least 30 U.S. citizens. During an interview with CBS's 60 Minutes, aired on Sunday, Biden voiced his concerns about Israel reoccupying Gaza, stating, "I think it'd be a big mistake. Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas, and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again."
It's important to note that Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, after which Hamas won the subsequent year's elections. Nevertheless, Biden emphasized the necessity of removing extremists, categorizing it as a vital requirement.
While President Biden and his administration have refrained from publicly criticizing Israel or its bombing campaign resulting in civilian casualties in Gaza, they have instead urged Israel, Egypt, and other nations to facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid and supplies into the worsening conflict zone. In the President's words, "I'm confident that Israel is going to act in accordance with the rules of war. There are standards that democratic institutions and countries abide by, and I'm confident that there will be a means for the innocent people in Gaza to access medicine, food, and water."
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Blinken faced criticism of Israel's military operations from Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during his visit. After Egypt, Blinken proceeded to Jordan and planned to return to Israel, carrying with him the feedback gathered during a series of high-level meetings with leaders from across the Arab world.
According to Egypt's state-run media, el-Sisi conveyed his belief that Israel's Gaza operation had extended beyond the realm of self-defense and had transformed into a form of collective punishment. In response, Blinken asserted Israel's right and obligation to defend itself against Hamas attacks while emphasizing the importance of doing so in a manner that upholds shared values related to human life and dignity, taking every conceivable precaution to minimize harm to civilians.
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