After speaking with Netanyahu, Harris: I will not be silent about Gaza
"It's time for this agreement to be completed," said Harris to reporters and went on to express her "serious concern" over the "extent of human suffering in Gaza, including the deaths of far too many innocent civilians." It's time to end this "devastating" war, the US Vice President added.
She spoke of "images of dead children and desperate, hungry people" who would be fleeing, some of whom had been driven out "sometimes for the second, third or fourth time." "We cannot turn a blind eye to these tragedies," Harris continued. "We cannot remain insensitive to the suffering, and I will not be silent," Harris added.
Netanyahu also met with President Biden. The White House stated that Biden had expressed the need to "fill in the remaining gaps, close the agreement as soon as possible, bring the hostages home, and achieve a permanent end to the war in Gaza." Both politicians also spoke of the "humanitarian crisis" in the Palestinian territory and the need to remove obstacles in providing aid.
Later, Biden and Netanyahu met with the families of the US hostages being held in the Gaza Strip, who described the meeting as "productive" and "honest." "We are probably more optimistic than we have been since the first round of releases at the end of November," said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, father of a US hostage, to reporters after the meeting.
In November of the previous year, there had been a one-week weapons truce during which Israeli hostages were released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The USA, along with Qatar and Egypt, have been working as mediators for a settlement between Israel and Hamas for months, but no agreement has been reached yet.
The USA has been supporting its close ally Israel militarily and diplomatically since the unprecedented attack by the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas on the country on October 7. However, there have been frequent irritations and even significant differences between the two governments over Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu defended Israel's actions in Gaza in a speech before the US Congress in Washington on Wednesday. In Congress, Netanyahu was greeted with applause and cheers from the Republicans, while Biden and Harris distanced themselves from him.
On Friday, the Israeli prime minister is expected to visit republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for a meeting.
- Despite the ongoing US-led negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Binyamin Netanyahu's actions in Gaza continue to cause 'notable' differences with the United States of America's government.
- Kamala Harris, the US Vice President, has expressed her deep concern over the 'human suffering' in Gaza, particularly the deaths of innocent civilians, and pledged not to remain silent on the matter.
- During their meeting, President Biden emphasized the importance of 'filling in the remaining gaps' in the ongoing agreement in Gaza and achieving a 'permanent end' to the conflict.
- In reference to the 'humanitarian crisis' in Gaza, both Biden and Netanyahu agreed on the need to remove obstacles in providing aid to the Palestinian territory.
- Kamala Harris and Binyamin Netanyahu have taken different stances on the conflict in Gaza, with Harris expressing concerns and Netanyahu defending Israel's actions in a speech before the US Congress.
- The expected meeting between Binyamin Netanyahu and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida this Friday may further highlight the divergent views on US Politics and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
- The US Vice President Harris's conversation with Binyamin Netanyahu on the Gaza issue was focused on the 'extent of human suffering' and the urgent need for a 'peaceful resolution' to avoid further 'Gazaband' and loss of innocent lives.
