Vice President Kamala Harris called for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza during her speech at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on the Bloody Sunday Anniversary. Israel, however, has pledged to continue fighting through Ramadan until Jewish hostages held by Hamas are released. The terrorist group currently holds at least 130 Jewish hostages from their brutal attack on Israel in October.
Here are some key points to consider when evaluating Kamala’s remarks.
** Kamala condemned Hamas and called for self-determination for the Palestinian people. However, polls in Gaza have found that between 68% to 89% of Palestinians support terror attacks on Israel and Jews.
** Kamala called for an immediate six-week ceasefire by Israel but DID NOT demand the immediate release of the 130 hostages taken during the brutal massacre of Jews on October 13.
** Kamala repeated the falsehood that Joe Biden supports Israel. In reality, the Biden administration has gifted Iran, Israel’s most dangerous enemy, with at least $80 billion dollars since he took office.
Kamala Harris: So before I begin today, I must address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The daily devastation we are witnessing in Gaza is heartbreaking. We have seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed, women giving birth to malnourished babies with little or no medical care, and children dying from malnutrition and dehydration. As I have said many times, too many innocent Palestinians have been killed.
Just a few days ago, we saw hungry, desperate people approach aid trucks to secure food for their families. After weeks of nearly no aid reaching northern Gaza, they were met with gunfire and chaos. Our hearts break for the victims of that horrific tragedy and for all the innocent people in Gaza who are suffering from what is a humanitarian catastrophe.
The conditions in Gaza are inhumane, and our common humanity compels us to act. As President Joe Biden said on Friday, the United States is committed to urgently getting more life-saving assistance to innocent Palestinians in need. Yesterday, the Department of Defense launched its first airdrop of humanitarian assistance. The United States will continue these airdrops, and we will work on a new route by sea to deliver aid. The Israeli government must do more to increase the aid flow significantly. No excuses.
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. They must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water, and fuel can reach those in need. As I have said repeatedly since October 7, Israel has a right to defend itself.
And President Joe Biden and I are unwavering in our commitment to Israel’s security. Hamas cannot control Gaza, and the threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated. Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that has vowed to repeat October 7 again and again until Israel is annihilated. Hamas has shown no regard for innocent life, including for the people of Gaza, who have suffered under its rule for almost two decades. Hamas still holds dozens of hostages for nearly 150 days now, innocent men and women, including American citizens, who were brutally taken from their homes and a concert.
I will repeat, the threat of Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated. 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. 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 secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination.
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. Let’s get a ceasefire, let’s reunite the hostages with their families, and let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza. I will now address the occasion for our gathering today on this hallowed ground on the foot of the Edmund Pettis Bridge where 59 years ago, on a cold Sunday morning, 600 brave souls set out from Selma.