"Hamas attack as consequential as holocaust": US President Joe Biden
Washington, DC: US President Joe Biden has said that there is a "fundamental difference" between Israelis killed in the Hamas attack and Palestinian civilians and Hamas terrorists killed in Tel Aviv's counter-attack as the terrorist group Hamas has engaged in barbarism "that is as consequential as the holocaust."
Speaking to CBS News 60 Minutes Interview, Biden called Hamas a "bunch of cowards" who are hiding behind the civilians. He expressed confidence that Israel would do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians.
Asked whether there was a time for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Biden said, "Look, there's a fundamental difference. Israel is going after a group of people who have engaged in barbarism that is as consequential as the Holocaust. And so I think Israel has to respond."
"They have to go after Hamas. Hamas is a bunch of cowards. They're hiding behind the civilians. They put their headquarters where civilians are and buildings and the like. But to the extent they can separate out and avoid, I'm confident the Israelis are gonna do everything in their power to avoid the killing of innocent civilians," he said in a CBS News 60 Minutes interview.
Biden called Israel's occupation of Gaza a "big mistake." Asked whether he would support Israel's move, Biden said, " I think it'd be a big mistake. Look, what happened in Gaza, in my view, is Hamas and the extreme elements of Hamas don't represent all the Palestinian people. And I think that it would be a mistake for Israel to occupy Gaza again. But, going in but taking out the extremists the Hezbollah is up north but Hamas down south."
Biden noted that Jews have been subject to "abuse, prejudice and attempt to wipe them over a thousand years." Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned that there is no direct evidence of Iran's involvement in the specific Hamas attack on Israel, ABC News reported.
Regarding his support for Israel, Biden said, "The Jews have been subject to abuse, prejudice, and attempt to wipe them out for, oh, God, over a thousand years. For me, it's about decency, respect, honour. it's just simply wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. It violates every religious principle I have and every way and every single principle my father taught me."
Biden said that Hamas must be eliminated. However, he stressed that there needs to be a path called the "two-state solution." Asked whether he believes Israel would support it, he said, "Not now, not now." However, Biden said that he thinks Israel understands that a significant portion of Palestinian people do not share the views of Hamas and Hezbollah, CBS News reported.
In the CBS News 60 Minutes Interview, he said that there is no "clear evidence" regarding Iran's involvement in the Hamas attack on Israel. Biden said, "Iran constantly supports Hamas and Hezbollah. I don't mean that. But in terms of were they, did they have foreknowledge, did they help plan the attack. There's no evidence of that at this point."
On Sunday, Biden said the civilians in Palestine were suffering unnecessarily, claiming that a majority of them don't have anything to do with terrorist group Hamas.
Biden posted from his official handle on X, "We must not lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of Palestinians had nothing to do with Hamas's appalling attacks, and are suffering as a result of them."
The White House separately posted the US President's response to the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Israel with the caption, "United States will continue to have Israel's back."
The post stated further that the US will keep supporting Israel in the war against Hamas and was in continuous touch with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Updating family members of Americans who are still unaccounted for, as we do everything possible to locate their loved ones and bring them home, remaining in regular contact with Prime Minister Netanyahu to support Israel in its time of need as it defends itself from terrorism," the White House posted from its official handle on X.
"Working with world leaders and regional partners to support Israel and bolstering military deterrence, Coordinating efforts to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and monitoring any potential threat to U.S. citizens at home and abroad, including Jewish, Arab, and Muslim communities," the post added.
On Sunday, Biden also spoke with the families of American citizens, who are caught up in Israel amid the ongoing war against Hamas, assuring them that facilitating their return home was the top priority of his government. He added that his administration was "not walking away" from its duty.
Taking to X, Biden stated, "The families of unaccounted-for Americans following the terrorist attack on Israel are going through the unthinkable. I gave them my word: We are not walking away from them."
