'Four U.S. officials familiar with the discussions said American diplomats became increasingly alarmed by comments from their Israeli counterparts regarding their intention to deny water, food, medicine, electricity and fuel into Gaza, as well as the inevitability of civilian casualties. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity so they could discuss private conversations.
'Members of the Israeli security and political establishment told the U.S. diplomats that the eradication of Hamas would require methods used in the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II. One official said he and others were told by Israeli counterparts that "a lot of innocent Germans died in WWII" and were reminded of Japanese civilian deaths from the U.S. atomic bombs. Israeli officials have publicly made similar comparisons.'