Biden to Israel: 'It's a big mistake' to maintain occupation of Gaza

 

    President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he did not think the fighting between Israel and Hamas would end until there's a separate Palestinian state.

Biden said at news conference that he advised the Israeli government against the reoccupation of Gaza once the war ends.

"I'm not a fortune teller, I can't tell you how long it's going to last. But I can tell you, I don't think it ultimately ends until there's a two-state solution," Biden said. "I made it clear to the Israelis I think it's a big mistake for them to think they're going to occupy Gaza and maintain Gaza. I don't think that works."

Biden, who spoke to the press after a summit in San Francisco with Chinese President Xi Jinping, also commented on Israel's operation to root out Hamas militants at Al Shifa hospital in Gaza.

He said Hamas committed a war crime by hiding its fighters under a hospital. He said Israel did not go in with a large number of troops.

“We discussed the need for them to be incredibly careful,” he said. “This is not the carpet bombing. This is a different thing."