Harris calls for ‘immediate ceasefire’
ALABAMA - Vice President Kamala Harris has called for ‘an immediate ceasefire’ in Gaza and called for Hamas to accept the deal currently on the table.
She also called out Israel for failing to act to ease the ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in Gaza in a sharp rebuke of the Netanyahu government’s conduct.
Her comments, made during a speech in Selma, Alabama, on Sunday, are the most strident from a senior member of the Biden administration since the October 7 Hamas attack.
They came just a day before she is due to meet with a top Israeli official to discuss a potential ceasefire deal and a day after the US began air-dropping aid to the war-torn country.
Address
‘‘Before I begin I must address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,’’ Harris said. ‘‘What we are seeing every day in Gaza is devastating.’
Citing the immense scale of suffering’ in the war-torn nation, she stressed ‘‘there must be an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks.’’
‘‘This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in. This will allow us to build something more enduring to ensure Israel is secure and to respect the right of Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination,’’ Harris said.
Her comments mark a departure from the more cautious approach so far favoured by Biden, as he struggles to strike a balance between the US’ role as an ally to Israel, with growing international outrage over its bombing of Gaza.
Around 30 000 Palestinians are estimated to have died in retaliatory airstrikes since October 7, when Hamas first attacked Israel killing 1 139 and taking 240 hostages.
Starving
Harris addressed reports that Gazans are currently starving, following warnings from the United Nations that the territory is perilously close to famine.
Blocking
Israel has been accused of blocking aid to Gaza and last week hundreds of hungry Palestinians were met with gunfire when they attempted to obtain aid from a food truck.