‘Hamas using Gazans as human shields’ – Biden

Speaking in Washington, Biden placed the blame for the suffering of Gazan civilians squarely on Hamas.

By World Israel News Staff

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Saturday that the Hamas terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip, is using local civilians as human shields during the ongoing conflict with Israel.

Speaking at a Human Rights Campaign event in Washington, Biden placed the blame for the suffering of Gazan civilians squarely on Hamas.

“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza — innocent Palestinian families and the vast majority that have nothing to do with Hamas — they’re being used as human shields,” Biden was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

“We have to reject hate in every form.”

In a later phone call with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Biden stressed that Hamas is not working on behalf of the Palestinian people.

“Hamas does not stand for the Palestinian people’s right to dignity and self-determination,” Biden told Abbas, according to a transcript of the phone call published by the White House.

Notably, Abbas has yet to condemn the Hamas incursion into Israel last Saturday, which killed some 1,300 people in the deadliest terror attack in the Jewish State’s history.

According to Abbas’ office, the wildly unpopular octogenarian leader lobbied for Biden to pressure Israel into admitting humanitarian aid into the Strip.

In Riyadh, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Saturday and emphasized that Jerusalem is working to minimize civilian casualties.

“As Israel pursues its legitimate right, to defend its people and try to ensure that this never happens again, it is vitally important that all of us look out for civilians, and we’re working together to do exactly that,” Blinken said.

“None of us want to see suffering by civilians on any side, whether it’s in Israel, whether it’s in Gaza, whether it’s anywhere else.”