US President Joe Biden has commended the Israeli government for defending its people and saving “countless lives” during Operation Breaking Dawn against Gaza militants. Three days of tit-for-tat strikes left the leadership of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) decimated and dozens of Palestinians dead, before a shaky truce came into effect on Sunday night.
“My support for Israel’s security is long-standing and unwavering — including its right to defend itself against attacks,” the US leader said in a statement on Sunday night, as the ceasefire appeared to be holding despite a hectic start.
Just minutes after the truce went into effect at 11:30pm local time, several rockets were reportedly fired from Gaza and intercepted by the Israeli defenses. No one has taken responsibility for the attack and the IDF reported no strikes in response.
“Over these recent days, Israel has defended its people from indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the United States is proud of our support for Israel’s Iron-Dome, which intercepted hundreds of rockets and saved countless lives,” Biden added.