Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Biden: Hamas 'No Longer Capable' of Major Israel Attack
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 1 year ago on
May 31, 2024

President Biden declared that Hamas is currently incapable of launching another large-scale attack on Israel, urging both parties to negotiate for the release of remaining hostages and extend the cease-fire, amidst the Israeli military's expansion of operations in central Rafah. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said Friday that Hamas is “no longer capable” of carrying out another large-scale attack on Israel as he urged Israelis and Hamas to come to a deal to release remaining hostages for an extended cease-fire.

Biden addressed the nearly 8-month-old Israel-Hamas war as the Israeli military confirmed on Friday that its forces are now operating in central parts of Rafah in its expanding offensive in the southern Gaza city.

“This is truly a decisive moment,” Biden said as he spoke of a three-phase deal that Israeli officials have offered Hamas. “Israel has made their proposal. Hamas says it wants a cease-fire. This deal is an opportunity to prove whether they really mean it.”

Israel launched its war in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack in which militants stormed into southern Israel, killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted about 250. Israel says around 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 more.

Cease-fire talks ground to a halt at the beginning of the month after a major push by the U.S. and other mediators to secure a deal, in hopes of averting a planned Israeli invasion of the southern city of Rafah.

The talks were stymied by a central sticking point: Hamas demands guarantees that the war will end and Israeli troops will withdraw from Gaza completely in return for a release of all the hostages, a demand Israel rejects.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

UP NEXT

Britain and Allies Sanction Israeli Far-Right Ministers for ‘Inciting Violence’

Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill to Ban Teaching Antisemitism in Arizona’s Public Schools

1 hour ago

Brian Wilson, Summer’s Poet Laureate of the Beach Boys, Dies at 82

2 hours ago

Harvey Weinstein Convicted of Sex Crime Amid Contentious Jury Deliberations

New York (Reuters) – A Manhattan jury found Harvey Weinstein guilty on a sex crimes charge on Wednesday, though the jury has not yet r...

26 minutes ago

26 minutes ago

Harvey Weinstein Convicted of Sex Crime Amid Contentious Jury Deliberations

28 minutes ago

Federal Raids Threaten California Businesses as Immigrant Workers Vanish From Job Sites

1 hour ago

Water Scarcity Is Forcing Tough Decisions. This Legislation Can Keep Our Family Farm Afloat

Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, center, applauds for those affected by the Los Angeles area wildfires as she gives the State of the State address in the House of Representatives at the state Capitol with Speaker of the House Rep. Steve Montenegro, R-Litchfield Park, left, and Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, flanking the governor on Jan. 13, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP File)
1 hour ago

Arizona Governor Vetoes Bill to Ban Teaching Antisemitism in Arizona’s Public Schools

Brian Wilson obit
2 hours ago

Brian Wilson, Summer’s Poet Laureate of the Beach Boys, Dies at 82

2 hours ago

Russian Attacks Kill 3 and Wound 64 as Drones Hit Kharkiv and Other Parts of Ukraine

2 hours ago

World’s Most Popular TikTok Star Khaby Lame Leaves the US After Being Detained by ICE

2 hours ago

Elon Musk Backs Off From Feud With Trump, Saying He Regrets Social Media Posts That ‘Went Too Far’

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend