logo
Sen. Lindsey Graham says there's no way to for Israel to negotiate an end to the war with Hamas

Sen. Lindsey Graham says there's no way to for Israel to negotiate an end to the war with Hamas

NBC News27-07-2025
WASHINGTON — Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in an interview on NBC News' 'Meet the Press' on Sunday that he believes there is no way for Israel to safely negotiate an end to the war with Hamas and that Israel would take over Gaza, comparing the move to U.S. actions at the end of World War II.
Graham said he believed Israel has concluded 'that they can't achieve a goal of ending the war with Hamas that would be satisfactory to the safety of Israel.'
'I think President Trump has come to believe, and I certainly have come to believe, there's no way you're going to negotiate an end of this war with Hamas,' Graham said.
'They're going to do in Gaza what we did in Tokyo and Berlin, take the place by force and start over again, presenting a better future for the Palestinians, hopefully having the Arabs take over the West Bank and Gaza,' he later added.
His comments come as Israel is facing mounting international pressure over a growing hunger crisis in Gaza, where at least 133 people have died by starvation, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. On Sunday, Israel announced a pause in fighting in parts of Gaza to facilitate aid delivery.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously said that Israel was 'moving toward full control' of Gaza. Ceasefire discussions have stalled in recent days, and the White House's special envoy Steve Witkoff last week brought home the U.S. negotiating team, which had been participating in talks in Qatar.
Asked whether a takeover of Gaza would mean hostages would not come home alive, Graham said, 'I hope not.'
'I think there are people maybe in the Hamas organization that would accept safe passage if they release the hostages,' Graham said. 'If I were Israel, I'd make that offer to Hamas fighters: 'You can leave safely. We want our hostages back.''
Graham continues advocating for special counsel to investigate Obama claims
Graham on Sunday advocated for a special counsel to investigate Republicans' claims that President Barack Obama tried to influence an intelligence assessment about Russian interference in the 2016 election.
These claims came to the fore last week when Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard alleged during a press briefing that the former president participated in a 'treasonous conspiracy' to harm Trump's campaign.
Obama spokesperson Patrick Rodenbush has said that the 'bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.' NBC News has also reported that former CIA officer Susan Miller, who helped lead the team that produced a report on Russia's actions during the 2016 election, defended the report and said the White House was 'lying' about it.
Graham said Sunday that 'the best way to handle this is if there is evidence of a crime being committed, or suspected evidence of a crime being committed, create a special counsel to look at it.'
A special counsel had previously been appointed during the first Trump administration to examine the origins of the Russia probe, and in 2023, then- special counsel John Durham argued that certain FBI personnel 'displayed a serious lack of analytical rigor toward the information they received.'
A 2020 Senate report backed up the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, with the then-chair of the Senate intelligence committee, a Republican, saying: 'The Committee found no reason to dispute the Intelligence Community's conclusions.'
In recent days, critics have accused Republicans of trying to turn the spotlight on Obama to distract from mounting criticism of the White House's handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
Asked whether he was trying to rewrite history to distract from the Epstein news, Graham said: 'At the end of the day, I'm not calling for prosecution against President Obama for treason, but I am calling for an investigation.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Apple CEO gifts Trump plaque with 24K gold base
Apple CEO gifts Trump plaque with 24K gold base

CNN

timea minute ago

  • CNN

Apple CEO gifts Trump plaque with 24K gold base

Apple CEO gifts Trump plaque with 24K gold base Apple CEO Tim Cook gifted President Donald Trump a plaque made of glass manufactured in Corning's Harrodsburg, Kentucky, which he announced would be the cover glass on all iPhones and Apple Watches soon. 01:01 - Source: CNN Automated CNN Shorts 11 videos Apple CEO gifts Trump plaque with 24K gold base Apple CEO Tim Cook gifted President Donald Trump a plaque made of glass manufactured in Corning's Harrodsburg, Kentucky, which he announced would be the cover glass on all iPhones and Apple Watches soon. 01:01 - Source: CNN How Corey Lewandowski's power keeps growing Corey Lewandowski is wielding an unusual amount of influence in his unique role as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's chief adviser. CNN's Priscilla Alvarez reports. 01:27 - Source: CNN Suspected Fort Stewart shooter identified The man suspected of opening fire at Fort Stewart has been identified as Quornelius Radford, according to Brig. Gen. John Lubas, the commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. The suspect is alive and in custody, a law enforcement official told CNN. 01:09 - Source: CNN 911 calls and bodycam footage sheds light on Manhattan gunman's troubled past Newly released police reports and body camera footage are shedding light on the troubled path that led a shooter on a cross-country drive from his home in Las Vegas to the skyscraper in Manhattan where he killed four people last week before turning the gun on himself. CNN's Brynn Gingras reports. 01:32 - Source: CNN See how ICE's arrest tactics differ in red and blue states A CNN analysis shows that ICE follows starkly different playbooks in how it's arresting immigrants in red and blue states. CNN's Isabelle Chapman reports. 01:07 - Source: CNN Why Trump is threatening India with 50% tariffs In addition to Trump's 25% reciprocal tariffs set to take effect on Thursday, President Trump announced an additional 25% tariff to punish India for importing Russian oil and gas. CNN's Phil Mattingly explains why the Trump Administration is playing hardball with the world's fifth largest economy and one of America's most important trading partners. 01:35 - Source: CNN Five soldiers hospitalized in shooting at Fort Stewart Five soldiers were shot at Fort Stewart in Georgia, according to Fort Stewart Hunter Army Airfield. The suspected shooter is an Army sergeant and is in custody, according to a law enforcement official. 00:30 - Source: CNN Opinion: Van Jones: if you believe in democracy, the Voting Rights Act should be sacred CNN Senior Political Commentator Van Jones commemorates the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act by recalling how civil rights activists fought for the bill, and how the Texas state Democratic lawmakers' current bid to prevent Republicans' gerrymandering efforts honors democracy and a 'meaningful right to vote.' 01:56 - Source: CNN Women in Gaza face their periods without adequate supplies Women in Gaza say they feel "embarrassed" and degraded by the dire hygiene situation in the enclave. Israel's aid blockade has deprived women of essential supplies like sanitary pads, tampons and soap while access to clean water remains scarce. Mother of six, Ghadeer Nassar told CNN how she has been forced to cut up pieces of old cloth to fashion makeshift sanitary pads for her teenage daughter. 01:44 - Source: CNN Great Barrier Reef sees record coral bleaching According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), parts of the Great Barrier Reef suffered their biggest-ever declines last year after a marine heatwave bleached vast swaths of hard coral. 00:55 - Source: CNN

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store