President Joe Biden on Friday acknowledged the “humanitarian crisis in Gaza” that has ensued after Israel cut off electricity and water and commenced a massive aerial bombing campaign there, in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel that left more than 1,200 people dead.
Ahead of a speech in Philadelphia addressing his administration’s funding of renewable energy projects, Biden again denounced Hamas’ attacks while finally acknowledging the unfolding crisis the people of Gaza face.
“It’s also a priority for me to urgently address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” Biden said. “At my direction, our teams are working in the region, including communicating directly with the governments of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and other Arab nations and the United Nations, to surge support.”
Biden reiterated that “the overwhelming majority of Palestinians had nothing to do with Hamas and Hamas’ appalling attacks,” and acknowledged that “they’re suffering as a result as well.”
In the wake of last week’s attack, Israel appears ready to launch a ground invasion into Gaza. The close U.S. ally ordered 1.1 million residents in northern Gaza to evacuate south within 24 hours on Friday. The Israeli Defense Forces said on social media that it had already dropped more than 6,000 bombs across Gaza.
Humanitarian organizations and the United Nations have denounced Israel’s removal order as “impossible” to carry out without “devastating humanitarian consequences,” according to a spokesperson for the U.N.
Israel’s siege on the region has largely cut it off from food, water, sanitation and power, leaving more than 2 million civilians without basic resources.
Before Friday’s remarks, Biden had not publicly commented on the devastation that Palestinians in Gaza face from Israel’s pursuit of all-out war in the territory. He has vowed unwavering support for Israel following Hamas’ attack, promised to sign legislation to fund weapons for Israel, and refused to publicly urge restraint.
Indeed, on Thursday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said it was “repugnant” that some Democratic members of Congress had urged a ceasefire. And on Friday, HuffPost obtained a leaked internal memo from the State Department discouraging diplomats from using the terms “de-escalation/ceasefire,” “end to violence/bloodshed” and “restoring calm” in press materials.
Biden’s comments finally acknowledging the humanitarian crisis follow a spate of incendiary rhetoric from Israeli leaders promising collective punishment against the people of Gaza.
“It is an entire nation out there that is responsible,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Friday.
The concern about Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza is growing within Biden’s party. On Friday, 55 House Democrats sent a letter to Biden pressing his administration to take action to protect the citizens of Gaza. The letter laid out five priorities, including urging Israel to obey international law; restoring the delivery of food, water and electricity; establishing a humanitarian corridor; publicly discouraging hate crimes against Arabs, Muslims and Palestinians; and ensuring that any bill that funds weapons for Israel also provides humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
“Imposing a complete siege on Gaza and depriving 2.3 million Palestinian civilians who have nowhere else to go ― half of whom are children ― of food, water, and electricity, would be a violation of international humanitarian law,” the Democrats’ letter read.
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