You can wipe out Hamas, but don’t occupy Gaza – Biden tells Israel

President Joe Biden of the United States has stated that Israel must eliminate the Hamas terror group, but he rejected the idea of reoccupying the Gaza Strip. He emphasized that reoccupying the Gaza Strip would be a “big mistake.”

In an interview with CBS on Sunday, President Biden expressed confidence in the Israeli forces’ ability to minimize civilian casualties and prevent a dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to eradicate Hamas in response to the terror group’s brutal actions. President Biden affirmed that Israel should go after Hamas and described them as “a bunch of cowards” hiding behind civilians. He stressed that invading and “taking out the extremists” is a necessary requirement.

When asked if Hamas must be entirely eliminated, Biden responded, “Yes, I do.” However, he emphasized that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again, noting that Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas do not represent all the Palestinian people.

Israel had taken control of the Gaza Strip during the 1967 Six Day War, unilaterally leaving in 2005 and enabling the Palestinian Authority to take control of the enclave. The subsequent imposition of a blockade in response to rocket fire has been a point of contention in the region.