Biden Co-Chair, Dem Sen. Coons: ‘Almost Impossible’ for Israel to Do Rafah Operation the Way We Want

On Wednesday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Biden Campaign Co-Chair Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) stated that it would be “almost impossible” for Israel to go into Rafah “and conduct an operation in a way that isn’t unreasonably dangerous and unsafe and will result in thousands and thousands more civilian casualties.” And the operation definitely can’t “be safely done in the coming weeks.”

Coons said, “Israel has the right, even the obligation, to defend its civilians against Hamas and to continue pursuing Hamas terrorists. But they have to balance that with their obligation to protect civilians and facilitate humanitarian aid going into Gaza. So, a delegation from Israel is now on its way to Washington to meet with our military leadership to consult on how they could possibly conduct a ground invasion into Rafah, where there are still four battalions of Hamas fighters, and allow for civilians to get out of Rafah and conduct an operation in a way that isn’t unreasonably dangerous and unsafe and will result in thousands and thousands more civilian casualties. It’s exceptionally difficult to do, almost impossible, frankly.”

Co-host Steve Inskeep then said, “That was my question — almost impossible, it sounds like you’re skeptical that the Israelis could give you some plan or give the president some plan that would protect civilians and also involve an invasion of this city.”

Coons responded, “They would have to provide for space elsewhere in Gaza where there was shelter set up for nearly a million Palestinians. So, this is not an operation that can be safely done in the coming weeks.”

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