Biden calls occupation of Gaza a 'big mistake', weighs trip to Israel

United States President Joe Biden, in his latest comments on the Israel-Hamas war, has said that Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip in the future will be a "big mistake",as he considered a trip to Israel amid the escalating war with Hamas. No decision was made about whether he will be travelling to Israel or not, as the National Security Council spokesperson said that the White House has not finalised any trip which needs to be announced.

In an interview with CBS News'60 Minutes,Biden said that he believed Israel would act in accordance with the rules of war and that innocent civilians would have access to water, food and medicine.He added that Israel should not occupy the territory for the long term, stating that the region must be governed by "a Palestinian authority."

"I think it'd be a big mistake. Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people," Biden said.

However, he added that carrying out an invasion and "taking out the extremists" is a "necessary requirement". When questioned if Hamas, who was described by Biden as "a bunch of cowards", should be entirely eliminated, he replied: "Yes I do."

"But there needs to be a Palestinian authority. There needs to be a path to a Palestinian state," he stated while reiterating the long-standing call by the United States for a two-state solution.

Biden was then asked by 60 Minutes journalist Scott Pelley if there are chances of US troops joining the war.

"I don't think that's necessary," said Biden, adding, "Israel has one of the finest fighting forces in the country. I guarantee we're gonna provide them everything they need."

No mention of Hamas in PresidentAbbas's comments on attack

The official news agency of the Palestinian Authority published comments by President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday (Oct 15) in which he criticised Hamas over its actions.However, later the name of the militant group was removed without providing an explanation.

The comments, which were published on the WAFA website, were made when Abbas held a phone call with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The two leaders talked about the bombardment of Gaza by Israel following the deadly rampage of Hamas through Israeli cities.

Watch |IDF and Hamas to faceoff in upcoming assault

The original report published on the WAFA website on Abbas' call included the line: "The president also stressed that Hamas' policies and actions do not represent the Palestinian people, and the policies, programs and decisions of the (Palestine Liberation Organization) represent the Palestinian people as their sole legitimate representative."

However, hours later, the phrase was changed to, "The president also stressed that the policies, programs, and decisions of the PLO represent the Palestinian people as their sole legitimate representative, and not the policies of any other organisation."

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)

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