President Biden on Thursday admonished Israel in his strongest terms yet for its response to the Hamas terrorist attack last October.
“You know, I think the response in Gaza has gone too far,” Biden said in remarks from the White House.
He pressured Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (whom he mistakenly referred to as “the Mexican president”) to open the gates to allow humanitarian aid to Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also pointed out that he did the same thing.
“I’ve been working really hard to get humanitarian aid to Gaza,” Biden said. “There are a lot of innocent people who are going hungry, there are a lot of innocent people who are suffering and dying. And it has to stop.”
Biden’s criticism of Israel comes as his administration coordinates efforts to release Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip, increase humanitarian aid supplies to Gaza, and achieve a temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would allow for reconstruction. It came out while we were promoting the project. And there is room for diplomacy to discuss ending the war.
Some Democrats and many members of the Arab-American community have expressed support for Biden, given his initial staunch support for Israel after the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed more than 1,000 Israelis. I have criticized Mr. Subsequent attacks in the Hamas-held Gaza Strip left thousands of Palestinians, including women and children, dead.
But Biden has changed his rhetoric in recent months, urging military operations to better target Israel and urging regional authorities to allow humanitarian supplies into Gaza.
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