Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Israel harshly during a speech over the weekend before she demanded that there be “an immediate ceasefire” inside Gaza as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) prepare to eliminate Hamas terrorists from their last stronghold inside the territory.
Harris’ remarks come after the five-month war was ignited when thousands of Islamic terrorists from the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas and other Palestinian civilians stormed into Israel on October 7 and murdered 1,200 people, wounded 5,300+, took hundreds hostage, and unleashed a brutal campaign of rape.
Speaking at an event in Selma, Alabama, commemorating the 59th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Harris began by saying that the images from Gaza were “devastating.”
“As I have said many times, too many innocent Palestinians have been killed,” Harris said. “And just a few days ago, we saw hungry, desperate people approach aid trucks, simply trying to secure food for their families after weeks of nearly no aid reaching Northern Gaza. And they were met with gunfire and chaos.”
IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari had previously said that “no strike was carried out by the IDF towards the aid convoy” that Harris referenced, adding that Palestinians had stampeded each other — leading to a significant number of deaths and hundreds of injuries — and some tried to attack Israeli soldiers who were overseeing the distribution of aid. The soldiers reportedly fired at their attackers and fired additional warning shots to try to stop the stampede so the Palestinians would not hurt themselves.
“Our hearts break for the victims of that horrific tragedy and for all the innocent people in Gaza who are suffering from what is clearly a humanitarian catastrophe,” Harris continued. “People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane. And our common humanity compels us to act.”
“And the Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,” Harris later added. “They must open new border crossings. They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites, and convoys are not targeted. And they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water, and fuel can reach those in need.”
Harris said that Israel had a right to defend itself, but she failed to mention the immense suffering that the Palestinian terrorists inflicted upon Israel, which has forced hundreds of thousands of people throughout the country to flee their homes.
Harris only said that Hamas “cannot control Gaza,” she made no call for Hamas to be destroyed, which is what Israel is in the process of doing. She only said that the “threat” Hamas poses must be eliminated, not the organization itself.
“And given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks, which is what is currently on the table,” she continued. “This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in. This would allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is more secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom, and self-determination.”
It is worth noting that Palestinians elected Hamas back in the early 2000s to be in control of Gaza.
“Hamas claims it wants a ceasefire. Well, there is a deal on the table. And as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal,” she said. “Let’s get a ceasefire. Let’s reunite the hostages with their families. And let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.”
WATCH:
Kamala Harris says Palestinians have the right to self-determination in Gaza as if they didn’t elect Hamas. pic.twitter.com/vtIdrVHh28
— Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) March 3, 2024
The deal is currently stuck because Hamas is refusing to give Israel a list naming the hostages who are still alive.
International security professor and terrorist expert Max Abrahms said that a “very real possibility” of why Hamas won’t share the names of remaining living hostages is that “fewer Israeli hostages remain alive than Hamas has led us to believe,” which he said Hamas would be doing “to artificially strengthen its negotiating position.”
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“Hamas may not have the bargaining chip it claims,” he added. “It should have negotiated from a better position by agreeing to step down from power at a time when it held more leverage.”
A very real possibility is that fewer Israeli hostages remain alive than Hamas has led us to believe in order to artificially strengthen its negotiating position. Hamas may not have the bargaining chip it claims. It should have negotiated from a better position by agreeing to…
— Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) March 3, 2024