Some of Israel's efforts in Gaza, according to Barack Obama, might backfire

 Some of Israel's efforts in Gaza, according to Barack Obama, might backfire

The former US President warned of the dangers to civilians in such conflicts while denouncing Hamas' strike and reiterating his support for Israel's right to self-defense.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama said on Monday that certain of Israel's measures in its war against Hamas, including as shutting off food and water to Gaza, might "harden Palestinian attitudes for generations" and diminish support for Israel internationally.

Obama cautioned in rare remarks on a current foreign policy issue that any Israeli military approach that downplays the human costs of the conflict "could ultimately backfire."

"The Israeli government's a choice to cut off food, water and electricity to a held captive civilian population (in Gaza) compromises not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it might additionally harden Palestinian attitudes to feed generations, erode global support to feed Israel, play into the hands of Israel's enemies, and compromise long-term efforts to achieve peace and security in the region," Obama stated.

Since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 that resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 people, Israel has extensively pummeled Gaza with airstrikes. Gaza authorities report that more than 5,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israeli airstrikes.

Obama denounced the strike by Hamas and reaffirmed his support for Israel's right to self-defense while issuing a warning about the dangers posed to civilians in such conflicts.

It was unclear whether U.S. President Joe Biden, who served as Obama's vice president for eight years, had planned his remarks with him.

Obama often supported Israel's right to self-defense throughout his administration while fighting with the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas in Gaza, but he soon urged Israeli leaders to exercise caution as the number of Palestinian dead from airstrikes rose.

Hamas, an Islamist organization supported by Iran that controls Gaza, a 45 km (25 mi) long strip of territory with a population of 2.3 million, has been in power politically since 2007. However, Gaza remains under Israeli embargo.

The Obama administration attempted to mediate a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, but ultimately failed to do so.

Biden has not attempted to restart long-stalled negotiations since entering office in early 2021, claiming that both parties' leaders were too implacable and the environment was unfavorable.

that Obama was president, notably during the time that his administration was negotiating a nuclear agreement with Iran, ties between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were tense.

As Obama's vice president, Biden often served as a go-between for the two men.

Obama said in his remarks on Monday that the United States has "fallen short of our higher values when engaged in war," particularly in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks.