New Delhi: As Israel continues its military offensive against Gaza, former US President Barack Obama called on Tel Aviv to “abide by international law” and limit the civilian casualties, saying that it was “critical” for Israel’s long-term security.
In a statement issued Monday, Obama expressed his concern over the high number of Palestinian deaths, especially children, caused by the Israeli bombing of Gaza.
“…any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs could ultimately backfire. Already, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the bombing of Gaza, many of them children,” he said.
He added that Israel’s actions of cutting off food, water and electricity to civilians could “erode global support for Israel, harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.”
Obama’s statement came as Palestinian health authorities in Gaza said at least 5,087 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, while 15,273 people have been injured. Women and children make up 62 percent of the fatalities, it added.
At least 35 United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff working with Palestinian refugees have been killed since 7 October, as reported by the United Nations.
On 7 October, Hamas launched unprecedented aerial and ground attacks against Israel, killing 1,400 Israelis, injuring thousands and taking at least 203 captive so far.
War With Hamas
2 week recap:🔻6,900+ rockets fired from Gaza at Israel (450+ failed launches inside Gaza).
🔻1,400+ killed.
🔻4,600+ injured.
🔻200+ hostages taken.
🔻1,000+ Hamas terrorists neutralized, many after infiltrating Israel.
🔻Dozens of senior Hamas terrorist…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 20, 2023
Of the 203 hostages, Hamas has released four — two elderly Israeli hostages Monday and an American woman and her daughter Friday, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, the chief of the general staff of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said in a video posted on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) that Israel will continue its “unrelenting attacks” against Hamas.
“We want to bring Hamas to a state of full dismantling—its leaders, its military branch, and its working mechanisms.
That is why we are striking, and eliminating high ranking commanders and members, destroying infrastructure, and acting with great determination.”
Watch this… pic.twitter.com/4wUwiN1s22
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 23, 2023
“We want to bring Hamas to a state of full dismantling — its leaders, its military branch and its working mechanisms,” Halevi said.
“That is why we are striking and eliminating high-ranking commanders and members [of Hamas], destroying infrastructure and acting with great determination. That path is a path of unrelenting attacks, damaging Hamas everywhere and in every way,” he added.
Also Read: ‘Hope India will look at it from both sides’ — Palestinian ambassador on Israel-Hamas war
‘Reject anti-semitism, anti-Muslim sentiments’
Obama also called for the rejection of anti-semitism and anti-Muslim sentiments, as the ongoing conflict has sparked tensions between the two communities in other parts of the world.
“That means actively opposing anti-semitism in all its forms, everywhere. It means rejecting efforts to minimise the terrible tragedy that the Israeli people have just endured, as well as the morally bankrupt suggestion that any cause can somehow justify the deliberate slaughter of innocent people,” Obama said.
“It means rejecting anti-Muslim, anti-Arab or anti-Palestinian sentiment. It means refusing to lump all Palestinians with Hamas or other terrorist groups. It means guarding against dehumanising language towards the people of Gaza or downplaying Palestinian suffering — whether in Gaza or the West Bank — as irrelevant or illegitimate,” Obama added.
According to a Reuters report, ‘anti-semitic’ and ‘Islamaphobic’ attacks have seen an increase since 7 October.
The report said that, last Friday, London Police announced a 1,353 percent increase in anti-semitic attacks and a 140 percent increase in Islamophobic attacks compared to the same period in the previous year.
Between 1 and 18 October this year, there were 218 anti-semitic and 101 Islamophobic offences reported, said the Reuters report. There were 15 and 42 attacks against the respective communities in the same period last year, the report added.
Also, a six-year-old Palestinian American was reportedly stabbed to death 26 times by his landlord, in what authorities allege is a hate crime in the Chicago area on 17 October.
Meanwhile, Obama called out Israel for giving its “tacit or explicit” support for the “settler movement” that has continued to forcibly displace Palestinians from their territories.
“…it is possible for people of good will to champion Palestinian rights and oppose certain Israeli government policies in the West Bank and Gaza without being anti-semitic,” Obama added.
Dismantling of Hamas
The former US President reiterated his support for the two-state solution, stating that it is the “best and perhaps only way to achieve” lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.
“…we should call on all of the key actors in the region to engage with those Palestinian leaders and organisations that recognise Israel’s right to exist to begin articulating a viable pathway for Palestinians to achieve their legitimate aspirations for self-determination,” Obama said.
He supported Israel’s right to self-defence and dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities, while minimising civilian casualties, and urged Tel Aviv to learn from US’ mistakes after 9/11.
The message is similar to President Joe Biden’s address to the nation from the oval office last week, where he cautioned Israel to not be “blinded by rage” and that the actions of Hamas do not take the right of self-determination of Palestinians away.
However, Israel’s retaliatory strikes and the West’s clear support for Tel Aviv have allowed Russia and China to take the lead as the voices of the developing world and find common cause with countries in the region, according to Reuters.
Russia had last week moved a resolution in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) calling for a ceasefire that was not passed. The Brazilian-led resolution for a ‘humanitarian pause’ was vetoed by the US. China has said that Israel’s “actions have gone beyond the scope of self-defence, as reported by Reuters.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
Also Read: ‘In solidarity with Israel’ — India stands apart from Global South, joins West in condemning Hamas