The United States has managed to secure the support of the United Kingdom and Germany in promoting the operation to destroy the Palestinian Hamas movement despite the rising death toll among Gaza Strip residents, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) revealed on Monday.
"Washington is aware that accomplishing the task of destroying Hamas could result in the deaths of a 'significant number' of civilians," an SVR report said.
The intelligence service added that behind closed doors, the Washington is urging Tel Aviv to speed up its operation in the Gaza Strip, as a prolongation could negatively affect President Joe Biden's re-election bid.
“The truth, however, is that Americans are having very different conversations behind closed doors with Israeli leadership. The Israelis are being encouraged to speed up the operation in order to prevent it from being delayed, as this would negatively affect Biden's election positions,” the SVR said in a statement.
On October 7, the Palestinian movement Hamas launched a surprise large-scale rocket attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip, breaching the border and killing and taking captives in nearby Israeli military sites and communities. The movement said its operation, Al-Aqsa Flood, was "in response to Israeli provocations and occupation of Palestinian territories". According to Israeli authorities, at least 1,200 Israelis were killed in the Hamas attack.
Israel launched retaliatory strikes and ordered a complete blockade of the Gaza Strip, home to more than 2 million people, cutting off supplies of water, food and fuel. On October 27, Israel launched a large-scale ground incursion into Gaza, ostensibly to eliminate Hamas fighters and rescue hostages.