South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham sparked intense condemnation on Tuesday after telling Fox News that Israel should "level the place" in its response to the Hamas-led infiltration. The remarks, which Graham framed as a religious war, drew immediate comparisons to the rhetoric used by members of the Israeli government. Knesset lawmaker Ariel Kallner echoed similar sentiments, calling for a "Nakba" that would surpass the mass displacement of Palestinians in 1948.
While officials in Washington and Jerusalem discuss the "complete and unequivocal defeat" of Hamas, the situation on the ground has turned increasingly dire. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, more than 1,100 people have been killed, including at least 326 children. Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated Tuesday that the focus of the current bombardment is "on damage and not on accuracy," while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has enforced a total siege on the territory, cutting off electricity, food, and fuel.
Other GOP figures have joined the chorus of escalation. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "finish" the Palestinians, and Senator Marco Rubio suggested that Israel must respond "disproportionately" to attacks. These comments have drawn sharp rebukes from organizations like Jewish Voice for Peace and Senator Bernie Sanders, who reminded lawmakers that "children and innocent people do not deserve to be punished for the acts of Hamas." Critics warn that such language, combined with the ongoing blockade, risks fueling further atrocities in a conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives.
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