In light of the rising death toll from the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, former president Obama released a new statement on the subject on Monday.
Obama once more denounced the horrific strikes carried out by the militant group Hamas on October 7 in a long address, calling them an act of “unspeakable brutality.”
He went on to say that Israel has the right to defend itself from the attacks, but he then went on to lecture Israel on the importance of adhering to “international law.”
Thousands of civilians have died as a result of the attacks on Israel throughout the region.
Over 1,400 Israelis have perished, the majority of whom perished in the initial strike carried out by Hamas on October 7. Hamas has been classified as a terrorist group by the US and other nations.
More than 200 hostages were taken during the invasion by Hamas militants, many of whom were thought to be civilians during the group’s initial raid on Israel.
As representatives from other nations negotiate for the release of the hostages, at least four have already been released.
The fighting in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 5,000 Palestinians, including an estimated 2,055 children and 1,119 women, and more than 15,000 injuries.
In his remarks, Obama warned that the region is currently experiencing a rising humanitarian catastrophe, noting Israel’s decision to shut off vital supplies to Gaza in the wake of the attacks, which he said might jeopardize support for Israel.
“The Israeli government’s decision to cut off food, water and electricity to a captive civilian population threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel, play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long term efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region,”Obama wrote in his statement.
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