On Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden attended a roundtable discussion with Jewish community leaders and spoke about his administration’s support for Israel in the midst of its conflict with Hamas and attempts to release American hostages.
While stating that the United States is sending experts to “advise and assist with recovery efforts,” Biden avoided giving any specifics regarding the hostage-taking plan.
“I still believe I can return these people to their homes. The notion that I will stand here in front of you and explain what I am doing, however, is absurd, the president remarked.
At least 22 Americans have already been verified dead in the conflict, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who spoke at a press conference before the roundtable. According to her, 17 Americans are still missing.
Israel, according to Biden, is the only place where Jews may feel safe.
“I truly believe that were there no Israel, no Jew in the world would have been ultimately safe,” Biden stated. “It’s the only final guarantee.”
Jewish guy Doug Emhoff, the second man to speak, also made a statement.
“Like all Jews, I have a deep, visceral attachment to Israel and its people,” Emhoff stated. “We saw a mass killing of unarmed citizens. A terrorist attack took place. There is never a reason to justify terrorism. This subject cannot be viewed from both sides.
Prior to his scheduled statements on junk fees earlier that day, Biden spoke about the battle and reiterated that his “commitment to Israel’s security & the safety of the Jewish people is unwavering.”
Additionally, Biden mentioned that he had earlier in the day spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu together with Vice President Kamala Harris along with members of their security team. Since Hamas’ attacks on Israel, the two leaders have spoken four times.
The White House stated that Biden and Netanyahu will “remain in regular contact in the midst of an unprecedented & appalling assault by Hamas terrorists” in a readout of the call.
“This attack has brought to the forefront the painful memories & scars left by a millennium of anti-Semitism & genocide against Jewish people,” Biden said on Wednesday. “And in this moment, it needs to be crystal clear: There is no excuse for terrorism, no excuse.” He continued by calling the assaults “beyond the pale.”
Tuesday, Biden delivered a 10-minute speech from the White House in which he harshly denounced the “vicious attacks” Hamas had carried out on Israel.
In the presence of Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden reaffirmed his support for Israel and added, “There are moments in this life when pure, pure evil is unleashed on the world.” “Israel’s citizens experienced one such incident this past weekend.”
According to the Israel Defense Forces, at least 1,200 Israelis, including 189 soldiers, had died and more than 2,700 had been hurt as of Wednesday.
The health ministries in Gaza & the West Bank report that there have been at least 1,120 fatalities and 5,300 injuries in Gaza.
The fact that Americans are among the hostages being held by Hamas militants was also officially verified by Biden on Tuesday. The president declared that he had instructed American officials to lend their expertise to Israel’s hostage freedom efforts. The protection of Americans being held captive abroad is my first responsibility, he continued.
Biden condemned Hamas for its “abhorrent” attacks, which he called violations of human rights: “Infants in their mothers’ arms, grandparents in wheelchairs, Holocaust survivors kidnapped and held hostage — hostages who Hamas has now feared to execute in violation of all norms of human morality.”
The Biden administration has been urged to take action to free American hostages who are reportedly being held captive by Hamas.
As he pledges his support for Israel, Biden has contended with internal concerns from his own party. Some progressives have already hinted that they will persuade Netanyahu to lessen the severity of the response if the number of Palestinian civilian deaths increases.
The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group of the Navy has sent ships to the eastern Mediterranean Sea, according to NBC News, and the Biden administration plans to keep in place some F-16 and A-10 fighter jets that were supposed to rotate out of the area. The action is meant to send the command to “stand down,” the official explained.
In the past 24 hours, 450 targets in Gaza have been hit by Israeli fighter jets, the country reported on Wednesday. The military initiated a “full siege” of Gaza, cutting off its access to food, gas, and electricity, and on Tuesday claimed to have reclaimed internal control.
On Wednesday, Blinken departed for Israel. The secretary of state is scheduled to meet with senior Israeli government officials after his arrival on Thursday to continue “discussions he and the president have been holding with them since the initial attack,” according to a State Department spokesperson.