US:No need to disarm Hamas - they already devastated
Dr. Aaron Lerner 1 June 2024
A critical feature of the American position is that there is no need to either disarm or remove Hamas forces from the Gaza Strip since they have already been "devastated".
The working assumption is that for some unknown reason the "devastated" Hamas cannot recover.
Under the deal, Israel withdraws its forces from the urban area of Rafah.
This is the very area where there are many smuggling tunnels still intact.
"The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve devastated Hamas form- forces over the past eight months. At this point, Hamas no longer is capable of carrying out another October 7th, which — one of the Israelis’ main objective in this war and, quite frankly, a righteous one."
MAY 31, 2024 Remarks by President Biden on the Middle East 1:28 P.M. EDT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/.../remarks-by-president.../
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: "Israel can make this offer without further risk to their own security because Israel has so degraded Hamas’s forces over the last eight months, as the President explained. At this point, of course, Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another October 7. Its military capacity has been significantly eroded. And its leaders are dead or in deep hiding."
MAY 31, 2024 White House Background Press Call on President Biden’s Remarks on the Middle East Via Teleconference 2:35 P.M. EDT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/.../background-press-call-on.../
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