State Department warns Israel against being ‘bogged down’ in Gaza without plan for ‘day after’

Asked whether the US supports Israel’s renewed military operations in northern Gaza, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller says the Biden administration will always back Israel’s right to target terror operatives, while reiterating Washington’s call for Israel to plan for the post-war management of Gaza.

“We continue to have concerns that without a political plan, a plan for the day after in Gaza that includes a political path for the Palestinian people to realize their legitimate… aspirations, Israel is going to be bogged down conducting these types of operations for some time to come with terrible humanitarian effects for the Palestinian people and with real security problems for the Israeli people,” Miller says during a press briefing.

Miller adds that the US still wants to see the implementation of its staged Gaza ceasefire proposal, which “would help answer this question about what the day after looks like for the situation in Gaza.”

However, he explains that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar remains unwilling to engage in negotiations — as has been the case for several weeks.

“It is probably reasonable to conclude he’s watching what’s happening in the north, he’s watching Iran’s attacks against Israel, and thinking maybe he’s about to get what he’s always wanted, which is a full-scale regional war,” adds Miller.