[ad_1]
WASHINGTON – Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, citing the “humanitarian catastrophe” caused by the Israel-Hamas war.
“Given the immeasurable scale of suffering in Gaza, we need an immediate ceasefire for at least the next six weeks,” Harris said in Selma, Alabama.
Harris’ remarks were the sharpest yet by a member of the Biden administration on the need for an immediate end to fighting in Gaza.
President Joe Biden called for a ceasefire in the five-month war that began after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. They are under immense pressure to do so. More than 30,000 Palestinians died in this war.
Harris said in Alabama that Israel needs to do more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the region.
Preparing to vote: See who’s running for president and compare their positions on important issues with our voter guide
“The people of Gaza are starving,” she said on the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when Alabama state troopers brutally clubbed peaceful civil rights protesters as they tried to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge. said.
“The situation is inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act,” she said.
At the same time, he said, “The threat that Hamas poses to the Israeli people must be eliminated.”
The Biden administration announced Saturday that Israel had agreed in principle to a six-week ceasefire that included the release of hostages, but Hamas was set to sign the deal.
The Israeli side has “more or less accepted” the framework of the agreement, which includes a six-week cease-fire and the release of vulnerable hostages, including women, children, the elderly and the injured, a senior government official said of the terms.anon’syMighty.
However, Hamas has not yet agreed to the terms of the deal.
Biden hopes a ceasefire agreement can be reached by the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan (March 10).
Also on Saturday, the United States airdropped humanitarian aid into Gaza, days after witnesses said Israeli forces opened fire on people waiting for food in Gaza City, killing more than 100 Palestinians. started.
U.A U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo plane, along with the Jordanian Air Force, airdropped humanitarian aid to Gaza over a two-hour period, according to U.S. Central Command. Aircraft dropped more than 38,000 meals along Gaza’s coastline, giving civilians access to vital aid.
Officials said the airdrops will ensure food and other supplies reach those in need and help prevent looting that has plagued the delivery of supplies to the area.
Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @mcollinsNEWS.
more:Vice President Harris presses Israel over civilian deaths in Gaza. What does international law say?
[ad_2]
Source link
