In her speech on Saturday, Vice President Harris mourned the Palestinians killed in a failed Israeli hostage rescue mission this weekend.
The Israeli operation rescued four hostages who had been taken to Gaza by Hamas on October 7. Speaking before the Michigan Democratic Party, Harris celebrated the hostage rescue but spent much of her time lamenting the deaths of Palestinians killed during the operation, many of whom Israel has called terrorists.
“Before we begin, I just want to share a few words about this morning that will be weighing heavy on all of our minds,” she said.
“On October 7, Hamas brutally massacred 1,200 innocent people and took 250 hostages,” she continued. “Thankfully, four of the hostages have been reunited with their families this evening, and we mourn all the innocent lives lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today.”
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Vice President Kamala Harris mourned the Palestinians killed in a successful Israeli hostage rescue mission this weekend.
“We have worked every day to end this conflict by ensuring Israel’s security, bringing all hostages home, ending the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people, and ensuring that Palestinians enjoy their right to self-determination, dignity and freedom,” she added. “As President Biden said last week, the time has come to end this war.”
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Hamas-run authorities in the Gaza Strip claim more than 270 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli operations, but do not distinguish between militants and innocents. The Israeli army claims the number is less than 100.
The four hostages – (from left) Noah Al-Ghamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Andrey Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41 – were rescued in two separate locations in a complex special daytime operation in the centre of Nuseirat, central Gaza. (Israel Defense Forces)
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed reports on Sunday that several innocent people were believed to have been killed in the operation.
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“We in the United States today [the death toll]”But what we do know is that innocent people were tragically killed in this operation. We don’t know the exact number, but innocent people were killed,” Sullivan said in an interview with CNN on Sunday.
“Any time we see innocent people lost, it’s another horrible, heartbreaking, tragic day,” he added.
Noor Al-Ghamani, left, embraces his father, while Andrey Kozlov, top right, climbs out of a helicopter as military leaders plan the operation. (Israel Defense Forces)
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The Israeli military claims that Hamas deliberately kept the hostages in a “civilian environment” and that their Palestinian captors were “civilians.”
IDF Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari said Hamas was holding hostages in civilian buildings, including from where Israeli forces rescued Noa al-Ghamani, 26, Almog Meir Jan, 22, Shlomi Ziv, 41, and Andrei Kozlov, 27.
