Addressing the ceasefire issue, Kamala Harris said that Hamas should take deal currently on the table.
By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News
The U.S. vice president blasted Israel extensively on Sunday for providing too little aid to Gazans while also telling Hamas to accept the latest ceasefire deal.
Speaking at an event in Selma, Alabama marking the anniversary of state troopers beating civil rights activists, Kamala Harris said that Israel had to do more to alleviate the “immense scale of suffering” of those caught in the war between the Jewish state and the terrorist organization bent on its destruction.
“The Israeli government must do more to significantly increase the flow of aid. No excuses,” she said. “They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid,” and “must open new border crossings.”
Harris left unclear whether she thought Israel’s partial inspection of aid trucks for illegal weaponry before they enter the Gaza Strip was necessary or not.
Harris also said that Israel “must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites, and convoys are not targeted.”
Israel has set up humanitarian corridors in Gaza and guards them as best it can from Hamas fighters who try to attack them. The IDF has categorically denied targeting any humanitarian aid sites.
In addressing the ceasefire issue, Harris combined mention of Hamas holding “dozens” of “innocent men and women, including American citizens” for “nearly 150 days,” with Gazans suffering in the war.
The dire humanitarian crisis must lead to “an immediate ceasefire,” she said, “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.”
Since Hamas “claims it wants a ceasefire,” it is the United States’ opinion that it should take this one, she said.
“Let’s get a ceasefire, let’s reunite the hostages with their families, and let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.”
Although not all details of the deal are known, it is said to include the release of only 40 of the 102 hostages left in Gaza that it believes are still alive.
Israel has declared 32 other hostages dead following intensive investigations. Hamas recently claimed that some 70 hostages have been killed due to Israeli attacks in the coastal enclave.
Israel is demanding a list of names and details of those still alive before negotiating more with the terror organization, but Hamas has so far refused to comply.
Harris did back at least one of Israel’s guiding principles of the war following Hamas’ October 7 invasion, massacre of 1,200 people and abduction of a further 253 from Gazan envelope communities.
“The threat Hamas poses to the people of Israel must be eliminated,” she said.
Minister Benny Gantz, a top member of Israel’s war cabinet, is expected to meet with Harris late Monday night Washington time, after first conferring with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. Tomorrow evening he is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
The purpose of all the meetings is to discuss a possible ceasefire and hostage release deal, as well as how to increase humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians.