Newsletters
U.S. President Donald Trump declined to take a clear position on Israel's ground invasion of Gaza City on Tuesday, saying he needed more information before commenting on whether he supports the Israeli military operation to occupy Gaza City.
"I hear they want to go in there. I need to see the situation, I don't have much information about this topic," Trump told reporters at the White House before departing for an official visit to the United Kingdom (UK).
When pressed specifically on whether he supports Israel's ground invasion of Gaza, Trump added: "However, I can say this: if Hamas creates human shields there for protection, they will be in trouble."
The Israeli military had announced it had begun ground operations in Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip during nighttime hours. Israeli military officials said two divisions are currently participating in the ground assault, with a third division expected to join in the coming days.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed during a hearing in his corruption trial that they had launched intense attacks on Gaza City.
Trump also declined to comment on a United Nations investigative commission report that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza, saying only, "We'll see what happens."
In related developments, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Washington would "respect" any Israeli decision to annex the occupied West Bank, speaking at a conference organized by the Jerusalem Post.
"We respect Israel as a sovereign nation. We will not tell Israel what they can and cannot do," Huckabee stated when asked about potential annexation plans.
Huckabee argued that recognizing a Palestinian state would be "contrary" to the Oslo Accords and claimed that recognition decisions would not create a Palestinian state.
He confirmed the U.S. has called on countries not to take steps toward Palestinian recognition.
1 min read
Israel has threatened West Bank annexation following announcements by France, Belgium and other countries that they would recognize a Palestinian state.
Israeli media reported that Foreign Minister Gideon Saar informed his U.S. counterpart Marco Rubio during meetings in Washington last month that Tel Aviv is preparing to annex the occupied West Bank in the coming months.
Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called for annexing all of the occupied West Bank except Palestinian cities.
The areas Smotrich wants annexed constitute 82% of the West Bank's total area.
2 min read
