‘We don't want another 9/11 attack' – warning that Israel's war on Gaza could provoke attack on US soil
'Ending Hamas is beneficial to American national security, but at what cost? If we continue to see this humanitarian crisis exacerbate, that does further damage to America's standing globally,' the source said, warning that US support for Israel comes with the risk of American citizens becoming targets in revenge plots by Hamas and its allies.
'Ultimately, we don't want to see another 9/11.'
The source added that, while Israel is 'fighting a valiant and fair and worthy fight' against Hamas, the tools that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, and the IDF are using against the Palestinian territory risk provoking 'further escalation against the West'.
The warning comes as international pressure is mounting on Israel to ensure humanitarian relief reaches the people of Gaza, amid reports from aid groups that thousands of children could die from starvation as the enclave teeters on the brink of famine.
In a rare divergence from Mr Netanyahu, President Donald Trump acknowledged on Monday that there was 'real starvation' in Gaza, adding the US would set up aid centres. 'We have to get the kids fed,' he said.
Responding to Israel's insistence that there is 'no starvation' and that such claims were being spread by Hamas, Mr Trump said: 'I see it, and you can't fake that,' although he stopped short of criticising Mr Netanyahu directly.
Mr Trump was referring to images and television reports showing distressingly thin children inside Gaza.
Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Israel of genocide
Vice-president JD Vance also struck a more direct tone towards Israel during a visit to Ohio on Monday, in which he called the images of starving children 'heartbreaking' and said it was 'up to the Israelis' to allow aid into the enclave.
MAGA Republicans broke with the administration this week, urging Mr Trump to get tough with Israel.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a MAGA firebrand and Trump loyalist, became the first GOP lawmaker to accuse the Jewish state of carrying out 'genocide'.
Ms Taylor Greene, who has previously accused Israel critics within Congress of 'sympathising with terrorists', compared the 'genocide, humanitarian crisis and starvation' in Gaza to the horrors of October 7.
She was joined by Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, who told his War Room podcast that Israel has 'almost no support' among MAGA supporters under the age of 30, and accused Mr Netanyahu of trying to 'save himself politically by dragging America in deeper to another Middle East war'.
A former Trump White House senior adviser said: 'Right now the Bannons and the Marjorie Taylor Greenes are at the very beginning stages of potentially gaining traction on this issue.'
Unwavering support for Israel has long been a core tenet of Republican politics, but as the humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza, patience with Mr Netanyahu's government among lawmakers in Washington is beginning to wear thin.
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