New Delhi: The conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated into a full-scale war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people from both sides in the past four days. Amid the rising violence, US President Joe Biden has once again condemned Hamas for launching a surprise invasion of Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. He said that Hamas was committing genocide against Israel, in which many Americans were among the victims. The President said that he stood with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and supported Israel’s right to defend itself.
Biden meets with senior officials
US President Joe Biden held a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and other senior officials on Monday to discuss the situation regarding the ongoing terrorist attack in Israel and to direct the next steps, according to his tweet. He wrote, “I met with @VP Harris to discuss the situation regarding the ongoing terrorist attack in Israel and to direct next steps. We support Israel. We stand with PM @netanyahu. We want protection of innocents.”
Biden said that more than 1,000 civilians were killed in Israel by Hamas militants, who broke through the Gaza-Israel barrier and invaded Israel’s Southern District. He said that the dead included 14 American citizens, who were either visiting or living in Israel. He called the attack “unadulterated evil” and said that it reminded him of the painful history and centuries of anti-Semitism that Jews have faced.
Biden reaffirms US support for Israel
The US President further said that he was clear about his stance on Israel. He said that he would ensure that Israel had adequate supplies to care for its citizens and protect itself from Hamas. He said that he wanted Israel to respond to the attack and hold Hamas accountable for its actions. He said that there was no justification for terrorism and that Hamas’s claim of standing for the rights of Palestinians was baseless. He said that Hamas’s goal was to kill Jews and destroy Israel and that terrorism only brought bloodshed and terror. He said that he was saddened by the loss of innocent lives on both sides and that he hoped for a peaceful resolution. He said that like every country, Israel had the right to defend itself from aggression. He said that this brutality must be answered.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is the worst since 2014 when a 50-day war killed more than 2,200 Palestinians and 73 Israelis. The current crisis was triggered by months of rising tensions over Israeli settlement expansion, settler violence, clashes at Al-Aqsa mosque, and the blockade of Gaza. Hamas called its offensive Operation al-Aqsa Flood, while Israel named its counteroffensive Operation Iron Swords. The UN Security Council has called for an immediate ceasefire, but both sides have rejected it. The US has sent its envoy Hady Amr to the region to mediate between the parties and urge calm.
