The comments made by U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham during an interview with NBC News on Sunday have sparked controversy.
Graham, a Republican Senator from South Carolina and a staunch supporter of Israel, compared Israel’s conflict with Hamas to the United States’ decision to drop nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II.
He urged Israel to do whatever it takes to win its “existential” war with Hamas, even if it means causing civilian casualties.
Graham blamed Hamas for the civilian casualties and criticized President Joe Biden for threatening to withhold certain weapons from Israel.
He dismissed concerns about the use of heavy or high-payload bombs in densely populated areas like Rafah, arguing that Hamas is to blame for civilian casualties throughout the conflict.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken declined to identify a “red line” with Israel but expressed U.S. concerns about the use of such weapons in urban areas like Rafah.
