Joe Biden says he called for more protection for civilians in Gaza, not a ceasefire in the region | Photo: Reproduction/Twitter Prime Minister of Israel @IsraeliPM
The Israeli government reported on Sunday (24) that its army had intensified its operations in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The focus of the attacks is the city of Khan Yunis, which is considered one of Hamas' most important strongholds and where a large part of the Palestinian population sought refuge after Israeli actions in the north of the territory.
The announcement came after the publication of false news claiming that United States President Joe Biden had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a ceasefire. Other information, including one from American newspapers, said that Biden managed to convince Netanyahu not to at least expand his military actions in the region.
The two heads of state and government actually spoke to each other by phone on Saturday evening (23), but both denied the reports cited above. Questioned by reporters as he left the White House and made his way to the presidential residence at Camp David, where he will spend Christmas, Joe Biden confirmed that he did not call for a ceasefire when he called. And he limited himself to saying that he emphasized the need to protect civilians and facilitate their escape from combat zones.
Benjamin Netanyahu, in turn, went public this Sunday to strengthen Israeli autonomy. “I have seen false publications claiming that the US is preventing us from conducting operations. That's not true. Israel is a sovereign state and our war decisions are not dictated by external pressures.”
Netanyahu also commented on the deaths of 14 Defense Force soldiers in the last 48 hours. “The war is taking a heavy toll on us, but we have no choice but to keep fighting,” the prime minister said. According to him, military operations will continue for several months until Hamas is destroyed.
In total, 153 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip began on October 27th. Bombings and fighting in the area have killed more than 20,000 people and injured another 56,000, according to the Hamascontrolled Palestinian enclave's health ministry. UN data also shows that around 80% of Gaza's 2.4 million residents have been displaced due to the war.
With the EFE agency.
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