Vice President Kamala Harris urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to finalize a ceasefire deal with Hamas that would pause the fighting in Gaza for six weeks and secure the release of hostages.
Kabul 24: In a televised statement after their meeting, Harris struck a forceful tone, saying “It is time for this war to end and end in a way where Israel is secure, all the hostages are released, the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity and self-determination.”
Harris Condemns Suffering in Gaza, Vows Not to be Silent
The vice president did not mince words about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where nearly 2 million civilians are suffering from widespread starvation and a collapsed health-care system after nine months of war.
“The images of dead children and desperate hungry people fleeing for safety, sometimes displaced for the second, third or fourth time. We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies. We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering and I will not be silent,” Harris said.
Biden Also Pushes for Ceasefire, Hostage Release
President Biden, who met with Netanyahu separately, also pressed the Israeli leader to bridge remaining gaps and finalize the ceasefire agreement quickly to secure the return of hostages and achieve a sustainable resolution to the conflict. The White House said Biden raised the need to close gaps, remove obstacles in aid flow and protect civilian lives in military operations.
Harris’ Tough Tone Raises Questions About Potential Policy Shift
Harris’ sharp and serious remarks raised the question of whether she would take a more aggressive approach in dealing with Netanyahu compared to Biden if elected president. However, analysts do not expect a major shift in U.S. policy toward Israel, Washington’s closest ally in the Middle East.
Netanyahu Meets with Trump Friday
Netanyahu will meet with Harris’ Republican rival, Donald Trump, on Friday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The two leaders have had a tense relationship since Netanyahu congratulated Biden on his 2020 election victory, a claim Trump has alleged without evidence was the result of manipulation
