On Sunday, White House envoy Steve Witkoff appeared to threaten Hamas with potential US military action, warning the Palestinian group to look at what the US has done against the Houthis in Yemen.
The comments came a day after the US launched major airstrikes on Yemen, killing at least 53 people, including women and children. Witkoff made the threat when discussing Hamas’s response to his proposal for a temporary Gaza ceasefire deal, which he called “unacceptable.”
“I think there’s an opportunity for [Hamas], but the opportunity is closing fast. What happened with the Houthis yesterday, what happened with our strikes ought to inform as to where we stand with regard to terrorism and our tolerance level for terrorist actions,” Witkoff told CNN host Jake Tapper.
Witkoff has previously appeared to suggest the US could take joint military action with Israel against Gaza, although he clarified that he meant Israel would act with US support. “Any action really principally comes from the Israelis,” he said on March 6. “But you heard the president say yesterday he’s giving the Israelis anything they need. So, it’s the Israelis but with very, very strong physical and emotional support from the US.”
In his interview with Tapper, Witkoff discussed the Gaza proposal he put forward that would include a temporary ceasefire that would go until the end of Passover, which is April 20 this year. He did not elaborate on how Hamas’s response was “unacceptable” but previously suggested the issue is that Hamas wants a permanent ceasefire.
“Unfortunately, Hamas has chosen to respond by publicly claiming flexibility while privately making demands that are entirely impractical without a permanent ceasefire,” Witkoff said on Friday.
The original deal that Israel and Hamas agreed to in January was supposed to lead to a permanent ceasefire and Israeli withdrawal at the end of the first phase. But Israel refused to engage in negotiations on the second phase and has imposed a total blockade on aid and all other goods entering Gaza, a war crime supported by the US.
That could be the first false statement from Witkoff…! There's no demands…! Both Israel and US including Hamas agreed to the phase I of the ceasefire, and Phase II and III in principal…! Now US and Israel are backing out…!
“You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him drink”…
Donna I think the horse refusing to drink is Witkoff, all the mad animals in DC and Tel Aviv.
Normal people with a conscience and a moral compass would see the total destruction of Gaza not to mentions the WB, so what can they possibly win? The Palestinians have nothing to lose but to make sure the evil animals ruling the democracies will only win the rubble they created. Trump will not live long enough to play golf on Gaza's beaches nor build an ugly Trump Tower, they are nothing but a pack of rabid dogs.
There is no one with honor in the ruling class of the USA and Israel and the Western democracies left.
“You can lead a horticulture but you can’t make her think.” — Dorothy Parker, when asked to use the word “horticulture” in a sentence during a game
Lol, stop watching 007 and games. We need you here in the real world. Before you retire to Spain hope you can be a part of dismantling of the apartheid state. Unless you want to enjoy that from your "Spanish riviera" beach house.
I don’t see a Riviera beach house in my future. More like the cheapest cottage in an isolated fishing village.
We’ve also talked about trying to get the money together to buy one of those “$500, but you have to agree to spend substantial money renovating it” homes in Sicily or elsewhere in Italy.
I wish the best for you. Like my teacher used to say a "A simple meal fills the stomach just like a feast."
Why did I immediately get that? I'm so proud.
They don't even have leverage if that's all the threat they can make. Ridiculous USA!
Mark Twain famously quipped: “Humor is tragedy plus time.” We have reached that time.
Israel has violated the ceasefire in every possible manner while Hamas has not in any. Yet for US/Israel Hamas adhering to the ceasefire agreement is “unacceptable.”
In the worse manmade human tragedy of this century these people have become so obliviously inane and absurd they’re laughable.
“I think there’s an opportunity for [Hamas], but the opportunity is closing fast. What happened with the Houthis yesterday, what happened with our strikes ought to inform as to where we stand with regard to terrorism and our tolerance level for terrorist actions,” Witkoff told CNN host Jake Tapper.
If Tapper had an ounce of integrity he would have punched that fucking piece of shit right in the throat. Bombing fucking tents is what? Cutting off aid is what? And what the fuck is the US going to do to Hamas that Israel hasn't already done? Destroy them with US bombs?