Israel will do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin, says US senator.
Senator Lindsey Graham claims that Israel intends to occupy Gaza as the US did in post-war Tokyo and Berlin.
247 - In an interview with NBC News, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham stated that Israel is prepared to assume full and lasting control over Gaza, a strategy he compared to the U.S. occupation of cities like Tokyo and Berlin at the end of World War II. According to Graham, this is the only alternative that would satisfy the Israeli government in the face of the war against Hamas.
“They will do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin: take the place by force and start all over again,” the senator stated. According to him, there is no possible negotiated solution with the Islamist group, and the Israeli leadership has already concluded that only a direct occupation would guarantee national security.
The statement comes amid the failure of US-mediated peace negotiations, which envisioned a 60-day truce. During this period, Hamas would release ten living hostages and hand over the remains of 18 others in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners. However, the group demands the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, which West Jerusalem refuses to accept, insisting on Hamas's complete surrender and disarmament.
Graham also mentioned the possibility of offering safe passage to Hamas fighters out of the territory as a way to secure the release of the hostages. But, according to him, the current stalemate demonstrates that the war will only end with the complete replacement of the current control of Gaza.
US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, confirmed that the American negotiating team returned to Washington for consultations, blaming Hamas for blocking the talks. According to him, the group "shows no interest in reaching a ceasefire."
Since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023—following a Hamas incursion that left 1.200 dead in Israel—more than 59 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, reports are gaining traction that Israel intends to permanently occupy the territory and displace the approximately 2,3 million Palestinians living in the region.
