US Senator Lindsey Graham has said Israel is preparing to intensify its military campaign in Gaza, comparing the strategy to Allied operations on Tokyo and Berlin at the end of Second World War.
“What we're talking about today is a change in strategy. I think President (Donald) Trump has come to believe, and I've certainly come to believe, there's no way you're going to negotiate an end of this war with Hamas,” Mr Graham told NBC in an interview on Sunday. “Hamas is a terrorist organisation who is chartered to destroy the State of Israel. They're religious Nazis. They hold Israeli hostages.”
Mr Graham, from South Carolina, said that Israel has concluded that dismantling Hamas is the only way to ensure its security.
“If they’re going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin – take the place by force, then start over again, presenting a better future for the Palestinians, hopefully having the Arabs take over the West Bank and Gaza,” he said.
“I think going forward … you're going to see a change in tactics, a full military effort by Israel to take Gaza down,” he said.
On Thursday, Mr Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Hamas’s latest response to ceasefire proposals showed a “lack of desire” to reach a truce.
Mr Witkoff said Washington will look at “alternative options,” without elaborating.
Mr Trump told reporters on Sunday that Israel would have to make a decision on next steps in Gaza, adding that he did not know what would happen after moves by Israel to pull out of ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations with the Hamas militant group.
Mr Trump underscored the importance of securing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, saying they had suddenly “hardened” up on the issue.
“They don't want to give them back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision,” he said the start of a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his golf property in Turnberry, Scotland.
"I know what I'd do, but I don't think it's appropriate that I say it. But Israel is going to have to make a decision," he said, while also claiming, without evidence, that Hamas was stealing food coming into Gaza and selling it. Israel has accused Hamas of looting aid but a US government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft.
Mr Trump said Washington would provide more humanitarian aid to Gaza but wanted other countries to participate as well. "We're giving a lot of money, a lot of food, a lot of everything," he said. "If we weren't there, I think people would have starved, frankly. They would have starved, and it's not like they're eating well."
"No other country gave anything," he said, calling out Europe in particular. "It makes you feel a little bad when you do that and, you know, you have other countries not giving anything... Nobody gave but us. And nobody said, Gee, thank you very much. And it would be nice to have at least a thank you."
