Barack Obama weighed in on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas to warn persistent bombings of Gaza could “backfire” on the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorised a campaign of heavy raids within hours of Hamas launching the deadliest militant attack in the country’s history.
Netanyahu has been met with condemnation for his strategy because of the heavy civilian losses in the strip, which include nearly 2,000 children.
Obama renewed his belief that Israel needs to be able to defend itself from enemy attacks but insisted the current approach is likely to foster more division and fuel animosity.
The former US president said that “how Israel prosecutes this fight against Hamas matters,” urging the country to follow international laws “that seek to avoid, to every extent possible, the death or suffering of civilian populations.”
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Writing on Medium on Monday, Obama said: “The world is watching closely as events in the region unfold, and any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human costs could ultimately backfire.
“Already, thousands of Palestinians have been killed in the bombing of Gaza, many of them children. Hundreds of thousands have been forced from their homes.”
He warned cutting off access to food and electricity would only “harden” the stance of generations of Palestinians to come all around the world.
Obama added: “The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water, and electricity to a captive civilian population threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis.
“It could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long-term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region.”
