Israel to ‘do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin’ - senator

No other solution would satisfy West Jerusalem, Lindsey Graham believes

West Jerusalem is about to take the Gaza Strip under its full control, US Senator Lindsey Graham has said. Israel will establish long-term occupation of the Palestinian enclave as the US itself did in parts of Germany and Japan after the World War II, the lawmaker told NBC News on Sunday.

No other solution but occupation would satisfy the Israeli leadership, the senator believes. West Jerusalem came to a conclusion “that they can’t achieve a goal of ending the war with Hamas that would be satisfactory to the safety of Israel,” according to Graham.

Washington also allegedly came “to believe, there’s no way you’re going to negotiate an end of this war with Hamas,” the senator stated as the US-mediated peace process between Israel and the Gaza-based Hamas militant group got stalled.

“They’re going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin, take the place by force and start over again,” Graham said, referring to alleged Israeli plans. West Jerusalem could also offer Hamas fighters a safe passage out of the enclave in exchange for the hostages’ release, he added.

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Earlier this week, US Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff said that Washington had decided to bring its negotiating team home for consultations and accused Hamas of lacking a desire to reach a ceasefire with Israel. A US-backed deal would have involved a 60-day truce during which Hamas would release ten living hostages and the remains of 18 more in phases, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The talks have stalled over conflicting demands on how to end the war. Hamas has insisted on a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as West Jerusalem has refused to end its campaign until the militant group relinquishes power and disarms.

The conflict started in October 2023 after a Hamas incursion into southern Israel that killed 1,200 people. Since then, over 59,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

Reports about Israeli plans to permanently occupy Gaza and resettle its estimated 2.3 million-strong population elsewhere have repeatedly emerged as the hostilities continued.