US fears journalists enter Gaza during truce, expose Israeli crimes
4 Min Read
A Politico report cites US officials warning that the absence of a truce would escalate pressure on the Biden administration domestically and globally.
-
A Palestinian sitting on debris overlooking a residential neighborhood destroyed by Israeli air aggression which led to the martyrdom of hundreds of people in November 2023 (AFP)
US President Joe Biden's administration fears that a temporary pause to the aggression on Gaza would allow journalists to access the Strip and take pictures and draft reports, uncovering Israeli crimes and destruction that the aggression has caused, Politico reported on Tuesday citing US officials.
The emerging images and coverage could "turn the public opinion on Israel," the newspaper said.
Meanwhile, there are no indications that the occupation entity plans on ramping down its war on Gaza after the aggression pause expires, the officials added.
In its latest reports, the Government Media Office in Gaza announced that the number of martyrs has surpassed 14,128 martyrs, including 5,340 children and 3,920 women. Children and women now constitute more than 66% of Palestinians killed by the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Read more: Gaza ceasefire deal does not include Lebanon: Israeli media
Earlier this week, a 4-day truce deal was announced, entailing the release of 50 Israeli women and minors (under 19) held captive in Gaza, in exchange for the liberation of 150 Palestinian women and minors (under 19) imprisoned in Israeli jails.
The agreement reached through Qatari and Egyptian mediation efforts, was scheduled to go into effect on Thursday. However, Israeli media outlets reported on Wednesday evening that the deal was not finalized and is most likely to start on Friday instead.
The limited truce remains under heavy criticism by international organizations, human rights activists, and a number of countries and officials who are calling for an immediate ceasefire rather than an insufficient truce. But these calls have been rejected by both the United States and the Israeli occupation entity, stressing that the aggression must continue until all "Tel Aviv's" objectives are fulfilled, something which military experts and diplomats expressed extreme doubts over.
Read more: US ignores calls for ceasefire; justifies Israeli crimes
According to the Politico report, the President of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs pointed out that “there is no indication on the Israeli side that they think this actually changes what they need to do on the military side."
Washington remains “deeply, deeply worried” about the entity's long-term strategy, and about what its next phase of the aggression would be like, Ivo Daaldar said, adding that the upcoming days will be critical for Biden's administration to increase pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a clear approach.
“The administration has judged that supporting Israel post-Oct. 7 was a necessary ingredient of having an influence on Israel,” he said, adding “It doesn’t mean that influence has been total … but had they not done that, they would’ve had no influence. And in some ways that remains very much the focus of their strategy.”
Read more: Exclusive: If ceasefire fails, regional war likely - Amir-Abdollahian
Meanwhile, a University of Maryland professor who held conversations with Senate Democrats on conditioning support to "Israel" pointed out that Biden's administration is among parties that are in need of a deal now, the newspaper continued.
Shibley Telhami said that Washington "has come under increasing pressure not only globally, but also among Democrats who fear Biden is taking them for granted.”
“A pause and prisoner exchange is welcome of course, but whether or not it will be an opportunity for the parties to reconsider the disastrous path they have been on remains to be seen."
Read more: Netanyahu less likely to listen to ceasefire even if by US
A child can't live in Gaza
The head of UNICEF Catherine Russell said on Wednesday that the besieged Gaza Strip has become "the most dangerous place in the world to be a child," adding that the hard-won truce deal between "Israel" and the Resistance was insufficient to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
"I am haunted by what I saw and heard," she said in a post on X/Twitter.
"One million children -- or all children inside the territory -- are now food insecure, facing what could soon become a catastrophic nutrition crisis."
