The attacks killed more than 18,000 Palestinians. Photo: Wafa News Agency.
Despite international pressure on Tel Aviv to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, including from the United States, its key ally, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, said so on December 14 It will take “more than several months” to crush the radical Palestinian Hamas movement.
After meeting with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who is touring the Hebrew country, Gallant thanked the Biden administration for its unconditional support of Israel in its offensive against Palestine.
“Complete victory in the war is important for us, for the United States and for the future of the Middle East,” the Israeli defense minister said.
“[Los militantes de Hamás] They have built underground and air infrastructure and it is not easy to destroy them. It will take a certain amount of time: it will take more than several monthsbut we will win and destroy them,” Gallant concluded, although with tens of thousands dead in Gaza, Washington would put political pressure on the Jewish nation to reduce the intensity of its attacks.
For his part, Sullivan said that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) must find a way to reduce the intensity of the bombing of the Palestinian enclave since October 7 – when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Tel Aviv. have caused the deaths of more than 18,000 Palestinians, According to the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA, in English), the majority are women and children.
The US official then met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom he urged, according to media, to reduce the intensity of military operations in the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks, rather than in the coming months.
“[La operación militar israelí] “Must move to the next lower intensity phase within weeks, not months.” According to the portal Axios, Sullivan said to Netanyahu.
Since October 7, when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict began to escalate following surprise attacks by Hamas, the United States has supported Israel almost unwaveringly, even vetoing a permanent ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations.
In recent days, President Joe Biden has expressed his opposition to Tel Aviv's refusal to negotiate a two-state peace agreement: “I think it has to change, and… this government in Israel is making the change very difficult.” “.
However, since the latest spiral of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted, Washington has openly declared its unconditional support for the Jewish state while increasing its military presence in the Middle East to deter Iran and the militant groups it supports, including Hamas and Hezbollah.
(Taken from Sputnik)