New Delhi

US President Joe Biden said that he is convinced that the intercontinental connectivity project, India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, announced in September during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, is one of the reasons why Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7 that left over 1,400 people dead.

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The counteroffensive from Israel into Hamas-governed Gaza Strip has left over 7,000 Palestinians dead, a toll heavier than the15 years of conflict combined.

Also read | Israel-Hamas war: Joe Biden's wartime address hails India-Middle East-Europe corridor

The project aims to integrate the entire region with a network of railroad. The project to, from, and between India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Europe aims to provide a "reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship-to-rail transit network to supplement existing maritime and road transport routes", according to a Memorandum of Understanding signed during the G20 summit. 

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Also read | G20 Delhi summit: Why India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor is a 'real big deal'

Biden told journalists while standing beside the visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that his analysis is based on his instinct and does not have any proof.

"I am convinced one of the reasons Hamas attacked when they did, and I have no proof of this, just my instinct tells me, is because of the progress we were making towards regional integration for Israel, and regional integration overall. We can’t leave that work behind," Biden said.

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This is the second time in less than a week that Biden has mentioned the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) as a potential reason for the terrorist attack by Hamas.

Earlier on October 20, Biden, in an address from the Oval Office after his wartime Israel visit, hailed the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor as a project that is aimed at building a "better future for the Middle East", and the one that will make West Asia "more stable, better connected to its neighbours". 

Biden said that with the "innovative projects such as India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor that we announced earlier this year in the summit of the world's biggest economies", the region will benefit with "predictable markets, more employment, less rage and less grievances."

"It benefits the people of the Middle East. It benefits us (the United States)."

The new economic corridor, which many see as an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative, was jointly announced by the leaders of the US, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, Italy and the European Union on the sidelines of the G20 summit in September.

The corridor comprises an eastern corridor connecting India to the Gulf region and a northern corridor connecting the Gulf region to Europe.

Israel-Hamas war: What to make of Biden's comments on IMEC?

According to an MoU signed between the countries during the New Delhi G20 summit, the countries had agreed to "commit to an action plan with relevant timetables" within 60 days after September 9.

The attack by Hamas against Israel on October 7 falls right in the middle of this timeline.

An intercontinental connectivity project, added with potential rapprochement between Israel and Saudi Arabia after landmark restoration of ties between Israel, UAE and Bahrain, would have derailed Hamas's purported goals in relation to the Israel-Palestine issue.  

Biden said that in the past few weeks, he has spoken to leaders throughout the region, including King Abdullah of Jordan, President Sisi of Egypt, President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia about making sure there's real hope in the region for a better future about the need to work toward a greater integration for Israel while insisting that the aspirations of the Palestinian people will be part, will be part of that future as well.

(With inputs from agencies)

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