President Joe Biden faced a major setback in his efforts to end the war in Gaza, after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told him that the conflict would last for “more than several months” and that Israel would not stop its high-intensity operations.
Biden, who has been trying to broker a ceasefire and a political solution to the crisis, was reportedly stunned by Gallant’s message, which contradicted his own vision of a swift and peaceful resolution.
As reported by The Washington Post on December 15, 2023, Biden had urged Israel to “be focused on how to save civilian lives” and to “be more careful” in its attacks on Gaza, which have killed almost 18,800 people and injured more than 51,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Biden had also proposed that the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, should take over the administration of Gaza after the war, as part of a longer-term plan to create an independent Palestinian state. But Gallant rejected this idea, saying that Israel would not accept any role for Abbas, who he accused of being a “terrorist supporter” and a “corrupt dictator”.
Gallant’s remarks, which were made during a meeting with White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday, were seen as a slap in the face for Biden, who has been facing criticism from some of his own party members and human rights groups for his unconditional support for Israel.
Biden has defended Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza and that launched a surprise attack on Israeli towns on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people.
But Biden has also expressed concern about the disproportionate impact of Israel’s military operations on Gaza’s civilian population, which has been subjected to relentless airstrikes, artillery fire, and ground incursions.
Israel has also targeted cemeteries, graves, and dead bodies in Gaza, according to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, which said that dozens of graves were “seriously damaged” and that bodies were “scattered or disappeared”.
Biden’s dilemma was further complicated by the news that Israel had recovered the body of Elia Toledano, a 28-year-old Israeli who was kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack and who had attended a desert rave.
The IDF said it had killed “more than ten terrorists” during the operation in Gaza, which also resulted in the death of at least 12 Palestinians and the injury of more than 30 in Jenin, in the West Bank.
Biden, who is expected to run for re-election in 2024, faces a difficult challenge in balancing his support for Israel with his commitment to human rights and peace in the Middle East. His critics have accused him of being too soft on Israel and of ignoring the plight of the Palestinians, while his supporters have praised him for being pragmatic and realistic.
Sullivan, who is Biden’s envoy to the region, is scheduled to meet with Abbas and other Palestinian leaders in the West Bank on Friday, in an attempt to revive the stalled peace process and to persuade them to cooperate with Biden’s plan for Gaza. But Sullivan may face resistance from Abbas, who has been marginalized by the war and who has lost credibility among his own people.
The war, which has entered its third month, shows no signs of abating, as both sides continue to exchange fire and to defy international calls for a ceasefire. The latest attacks on Friday morning killed at least four Palestinians, including children, in southern Gaza, according to Palestinian media.
The UN has warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where more than half of the population is displaced and where basic services are severely disrupted.
