President Joe Biden on Friday condemned Israel after a deadly mob incident around an aid truck in the Gaza Strip the day before, saying it would not allow more humanitarian aid to flow into the region during the war. There can be no excuses.”
“We are trying to finalize an agreement between Israel and Hamas, the return of the hostages, and an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks.”
— Press. Biden also said there is “no excuse” for Israel not “facilitating” more aid “to the entire Gaza Strip.” pic.twitter.com/LdDPtY3o5G
— The Recount (@therecount) March 1, 2024
Biden spoke at the White House during a visit by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He announced that the United States would begin airdropping aid to Gaza, joining other countries such as Jordan that have previously delivered aid to Gaza.
Israel has argued for months that the limiting factor in aid reaching Gaza is not Gaza, but rather the UN’s failure to distribute aid. Additionally, Israeli authorities believe that 50 to 60 percent of aid money is stolen by Hamas terrorists.
This week, an Israeli government spokesperson told reporters that Israel has the capacity to grant “unrestricted” aid to Gaza, but the United Nations has only distributed about 80% of the aid.
On Thursday, a report revealed that the United Nations is intentionally withholding funds from agencies other than the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which has links to terrorism and has lost many international donors.
Breitbart News reported that about 100 Palestinians were killed early Thursday when they stepped around an incoming aid truck. Israeli forces were reportedly threatened by some of the crowd and fired warning shots before opening fire in self-defense.
Israel maintains that it is not responsible for 10 of the deaths, only its own military. But United Nations and European Union leaders, including France’s Emmanuel Macron, condemned Israel. Blame Israel condemned the “targeting” of the Palestinian civilians who were killed (and to whom Israel was trying to provide humanitarian aid).
The United States has demanded an explanation from Israel, and White House reporters, many of whom have clear anti-Israel views, have suggested that Israel cannot be trusted to conduct its own investigation.
White House National Security Press Secretary John Kirby said the incident demonstrated the urgent need for more humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
The US is calling for a six-week ceasefire in which Israeli hostages would be freed, Palestinian terrorists released from prison and more aid provided to Gaza. But Hamas insists that any deal requires Israel to end the war.
Hamas believes that the deaths of Palestinian civilians give it a military advantage because it encourages the world to put pressure on Israel to end the war. That is the only hope Hamas has to survive an effective Israeli counterattack.
Joel B. Pollack is a senior editor at Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday Sunday nights from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM ET (4:00 PM to 7:00 PM PT) on Sirius XM Patriot. He is the author of the recent book, The Zionist Conspiracy (And How to Participate in It), now available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Neither Free nor Fair: The 2020 US Presidential Election. He is the recipient of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter @joelpolak.
