The US Chief of Staff on the escalation in Gaza: It is not in anyone’s interest to continue the fighting

The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, warned of the risks of widespread instability beyond the Gaza Strip if the escalation between Israel and the Palestinians was not reduced.

Milley believed that Israel’s actions represented “self-defense,” as he put it, but he warned that in light of the current levels of violence, “continuing the fighting is not in anyone’s interest.”

“My assessment of the matter is that there is a risk of wider instability and a series of negative repercussions if the fighting continues,” he added in statements to reporters on Monday before his arrival in Brussels for talks with allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

“So, in my opinion, I think that de-escalation is a smart approach at this stage for all parties concerned,” he said.

The United States is making efforts to push Israel to a ceasefire, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden during a phone call on Monday that he is determined to “complete the goal” of this process, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.