President Joe Biden on Tuesday again made clear his administration’s unwavering support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
In a brief speech from the White House, President Biden spoke of the “atrocities” Hamas has committed and said the United States will make sure Israel has what it needs to fight this war.
“You know, there are moments in this life, and I mean this literally, when pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world. The people of Israel lived through one such moment this weekend at the bloody hands of the terrorist organization Hamas, a group whose stated purpose for being is to kill Jews,” Biden said.
He recounted the horrors of Hamas’ October 7 invasion of Israel when militants “slaughtered, not just killed, slaughtered” more than 1,000 civilians in Israel.
Comparing Hamas’ attack to the “worst rampages of ISIS,” Biden said, “This is terrorism.”
“In this moment, we must be crystal clear. We stand with Israel. We stand with Israel. And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and respond to this attack,” Biden said.
To date, the conflict has claimed over 1,700 lives, including 14 Americans.
The President also issued a warning to any country or organization, “anyone thinking of taking advantage of this situation. Don’t. Don’t,” he said. “Our hearts may be broken, but our resolve is clear.”
American hostages
The administration will ask Congress to provide Israel with ammunition and interceptors to replenish its Iron Dome defense and to take urgent action to fund the national security requirements of its critical partners.
“This is not about party or politics,” Biden said, “this is about the security of our world. The security of the United States of America.”
The President acknowledged that U.S. citizens are among those taken hostage by Hamas. In response, he directed his administration to share intelligence and deploy additional experts from across the U.S. government to consult with and advise their Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts.
“As president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans being held hostage around the world,” Biden said.
In addition to those actions, the U.S. Department of Defense has enhanced its military force posture in the eastern Mediterranean by moving the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the region and bolstering its fighter aircraft presence.
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