At the same time, Biden says that American bombs have been used to kill civilians in Gaza.
Published: 05/09/2024 00:21 | Updated: 05/09/2024 07:31
In an exclusive interview with CNN, US President Joe Biden says that he has given clear warnings to Israel.
– I made it clear that if they go into Rafah, they don’t have it yet, I will not send the weapons that have historically been used to deal with these cities.
– I made it very clear to “Bibi”: They will not get our support, if they actually enter these population centers.
“Bibi” is the nickname of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The US and Israel are close allies.
But the US already has put a bomb delivery on holdreportedly due to concerns about how they would be used in densely populated urban areas such as Rafah.
Has been used to kill civilians
In the same interview with CNN, Biden says that the American weapons that have now been put on hold have been used to kill civilians in the Gaza Strip.
– Civilians have been killed in the Gaza Strip as a consequence of those bombs.
CNN refers to Biden’s statements as a strong recognition of the United States’ role in the ongoing war between Hamas and Israel.
Will support Israel, but…
President Joe Biden’s administration has for months warned Israel against carrying out a ground invasion in Rafah. Israel believes it is necessary to crush the remnants of Hamas and has announced that it will carry out the plan.
In recent days, Israel has carried out a number of airstrikes against Rafah and entered parts of the area with tanks. Many civilians are said to have been killed and injured
The US and many others are concerned about the humanitarian consequences, since 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge in and around the city.
The Americans have been particularly concerned about the effect the 900 kilogram heavy bombs will have in a densely populated area. Such bombs have a “probable killing radius” of 33 metres, while they can injure people within a radius of as much as 350 metres.
The American president has been under heavy pressure, also from his own party, to limit the supply of weapons as a result of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
– We will continue to ensure that Israel is secure in terms of “Iron Dome” and their ability to respond to attacks from the Middle East, he says before continuing:
– But we are not going to deliver weapons and artillery shells.
