US officials from both the Democratic and Republican parties have voiced either opposition or concern on Friday for Israel's planned operation to take over Gaza City.
The Israeli security cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to take over the Palestinian city, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed early on Friday.
Statements by Republicans
"I'd like to know who is actually going to run it," Axios quoted GOP Congressman Tim Burchett, who represents Tennessee's 2nd district, as saying.
The US news source quoted another Republican congressman, Ryan Zinke, representing Montana's 1st congressional district, who said that Netanyahu's plan to occupy the city "comes with the responsibility of providing humanitarian assistance and creating an economic future."
Criticism from Democrats
Richie Torres, one of Congress's most vocal pro-Israel Democrats, was also quoted by the US news source saying that Israel is the "ultimate arbiter of its own security," while adding that the Israel-Hamas war "is in danger of becoming a quagmire."
Democrat Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) issued an official statement in reaction to the planned operation, saying, "We all want this awful war to end. However, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to take over all of Gaza City is tactically questionable and strategically self-defeating."
"The decision is more likely to play into Hamas’s original objectives in starting this war and further unite much of the world against Israel than it is to bring home the last surviving hostages and advance the security needs of the nation," while specifying that the start of the war is due to Hamas's massacre.
Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders, an Independent, said, "Biden was wrong about his support for Israel’s war in Gaza. Trump is even worse. The American people - Democrats, Republicans, Independents - do not want to continue spending billions of taxpayer dollars to starve children."
Criticism from within Israel
Netanyahu's plan was also slammed by Opposition Leader and Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid.
"The decision made by the [Security] Cabinet is a disaster that will lead to many more disasters."
Several Israeli security cabinet members had also admitted that the takeover plan is unlikely to lead to Hamas's defeat or the return of the hostages.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.