From the Liveblog of
Monday, March 18, 2024
US says Hamas return to Shifa hospital shows need for a viable alternative to control Gaza
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says Israel’s latest military operation targeting Hamas in Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital highlights Washington’s concern that Jerusalem lacks a sustainable strategy in targeting the terror group.
“Israel cleared Shifa once. Hamas came back into Shifa, which raises questions about how to ensure a sustainable campaign against Hamas so that it cannot regenerate, cannot retake territory,” Sullivan says during a press briefing.
Washington has long accused Israel of failing to advance a viable alternative to Hamas rule, by rejecting efforts to promote local Palestinians linked to the Palestinian Authority with support from Arab allies to fill the vacuum created by the terror group’s initial dismantlement by Israel.
Instead, Netanyahu has sought to empower local clan leaders with no ties to the PA or Hamas to facilitate the distribution of aid and eventually govern the Strip, though, there are no indications this strategy has worked.
In various spots throughout northern Gaza have seen a resurgence of Hamas activity in recent weeks, as the IDF has reportedly pleaded with the political leadership to make more clear-cut, realistic decisions regarding the post-war management of Gaza or risk wasting the military’s gains.
“From our perspective, it is connecting Israel’s objective to a sustainable strategy. That is the final thing we need to focus on right now, rather than have Israel go smash into Rafah. That is what the president talked to the prime minister about today,” Sullivan says.
Still, he defends aspects of the latest Israeli operation in Shifa, noting that the IDF is pursuing senior Hamas commanders and that “it is clear that Hamas fired back at Israel from that hospital.”
Sullivan also reiterates that Hamas continues to use civilian infrastructure “to store weapons, for command and control and to house fighters.”
“That places an added burden on Israel that very few militaries have to deal with — an entrenched insurgency, a terrorist group using the shield of civilian institutions to protect themselves during a fight, rather than meeting Israel on some open field of battle,” he adds.
