Rep. Omar: A Ground Invasion Into The Gaza Strip Would Have Disastrous Consequences
WASHINGTON—Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement Friday following reports the Israeli military is expanding ground operations in Gaza and the Biden Administration is urging against a ground invasion.
"It can’t be underscored enough: a ground invasion into the Gaza Strip would have disastrous consequences and lead to loss of life of catastrophic proportions. It would risk pulling the U.S. into a rapidly-escalating broader regional conflict. We should fully oppose it.
"A ground invasion would make an untenable humanitarian disaster even worse. It would not only put the lives of more and more Palestinian civilians at risk, but also Israelis, the hundreds of hostages held by Hamas, and the hundreds of Americans trapped in Gaza
"This war has reportedly already taken the lives of over 1,400 Israelis, and over 7,000 Palestinians. Fuel and electricity remain shut off for the 2.3 million residents of Gaza—a war crime—and communications and internet services are now down across Gaza. Over 1 million have fled from their homes.
"Residents remain trapped in this open-air prison, without any exits, including American citizens. Civilians are told to flee their homes—but are then killed by airstrikes after fleeing. Gaza’s health care system is already in a state of “complete collapse,” according to the Health Ministry, with over two-thirds of healthcare facilities shut down. Only 84 trucks of aid have been able to enter the Rafah land crossing.
"A ground invasion would turn a horrific regional tragedy into potentially a global one. Both Iran and Hezbollah have threatened to escalate militarily if Netanyahu launches a ground invasion into Gaza. The United States has asked the Israeli government to delay an invasion so it can place air defenses in the region to protect U.S. troops, heightening the risk of U.S. involvement.
"We have to ask: what is the endgame here? Does a ground invasion increase security and safety for Israelis or Palestinians? No. In fact, the Biden Administration has reportedly warned that Israel does not have achievable military objectives for a Gaza ground invasion.
"It is important to note that this ground invasion is deeply unpopular. Two-thirds of Americans and fully eighty percent of Democrats support the commonsense position of a ceasefire to end this horror. And according to a recent poll by Israeli paper Maariv, a ground invasion is not supported by a majority of the Israeli people either.
"The solution to this horror, as ever, is a negotiated peace—with Israelis and Palestinians enjoying equal rights and security guarantees. That peace may seem impossible in the fog of war, but it starts with us calling for an end to the war, for the release of hostages by Hamas, and for the international community to seek accountability for these atrocities.
"Most of all, we must remember that we are all part of one human family, that the wanton destruction of lives will only pull us apart and perpetuate the seemingly endless cycle of violence."