WASHINGTON, May 3. Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip are not only will not lead to the destruction of all fighters of the Palestinian Hamas movement, but can also provoke the development of its alternatives, said Adam Smith, a leading member of the Armed Services Committee of the US House of Representatives, in an interview with Foreign Policy magazine.
«I am deeply alarmed that they do not understand that the humanitarian situation in Gaza undermines their long-term security and overall strategy,» he said, commenting on Israel's actions.
According to a Democratic congressman, Israel will not be able to destroy all Hamas fighters. «They can create a situation in which an alternative to Hamas emerges,» Smith added.
He also stated that it is necessary to achieve a ceasefire and improve the humanitarian situation in the region.
Israel on October 7, 2023 was subjected to an unprecedented-scale rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. After this, fighters from the Palestinian Hamas movement entered the border areas, opened fire on military and civilians, and took more than 200 hostages. According to authorities, about 1.2 thousand people died.
The Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip, which includes attacks on civilian targets. Israel announced a complete blockade of the enclave: supplies of water, electricity, fuel, food and medicine were stopped. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, more than 34 thousand people were killed and over 77 thousand were injured.
The Gaza Strip has effectively been divided into southern and northern parts, and Israel is preparing for a ground operation in Rafah, which is considered the last stronghold of Hamas.
The Russian Foreign Ministry called on the parties to stop hostilities. According to Moscow's position, a settlement is possible only on the basis of a formula approved by the UN Security Council with the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with its capital in East Jerusalem.