Speaking at a fundraising event near Seattle on Saturday, President Joe Biden stated, "There would be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas would release the hostages. Israel said it's up to Hamas, if they wanted to do it, we could end it tomorrow. And the ceasefire would begin tomorrow." His comments came after the IDF announced its intention to expand its operation and move into a northern Gaza area where Hamas has regrouped. Hamas took more than 250 individuals hostage during the October 7 attack, with 128 still being held captive by the group.
Intense clashes have erupted between Israeli troops and Palestinian terrorists on the outskirts of Rafah, leaving crucial nearby aid crossings inaccessible and forcing more than 110,000 people to flee northward. Residents have been instructed to evacuate Rafah. IDF spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, urged people to immediately relocate to the "expanded humanitarian area" in Al-Mawasi on Saturday, warning that those who remain will expose themselves and their families to danger.
Israel's move into Rafah has so far fallen short of the full-scale invasion that it has planned. The United Nations and other agencies have warned for weeks that an Israeli assault on Rafah would cripple humanitarian operations and cause a surge in civilian casualties. Biden's administration found earlier in the week that Israel's use of US weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law. The US government report stated, "Given Israel's significant reliance on US-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles have been used by Israeli security forces since 7 October in instances inconsistent with its international humanitarian law obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the country will "do what we have to do" to stop Hamas. In an interview with Dr. Phil on Thursday, he said, "We will do what we have to do to protect our country, and that means to protect our future. And that means we will defeat Hamas, including in Rafah. We have no other choice."
Netanyahu also addressed Biden's warning over an invasion of Rafah, stating, "I've known Joe Biden for many years, 40 years and more. We often had our agreements, but we've had our disagreements. We've been able to overcome them. I hope we can overcome them now."
