Speaking in Alabama to mark the anniversary of the Bloody Sunday civil rights march, Vice President Kamala Harris called for an “immediate cease-fire” in Gaza, her strongest comments yet pushing for a peace deal in the monthslong war between Israel and Hamas.
“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate cease-fire, at least for the next six weeks,” Harris said, referencing the current length of a pause in fighting that is under discussion.
A senior U.S. official said Saturday that Israel has “more or less accepted” the terms of the cease-fire proposal, which also includes the release of captives held by Hamas since it launched its incursion into Israel on Oct. 7 of last year, killing 1,200 people and seizing around 250 hostages, and the “ball is in the court of Hamas” to agree to the pause.
“We are continuing to push this as hard as we possibly can,” the official noted. Mediators have been working to broker the pause before an unofficial deadline of March 10, when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins. The U.S. has been working to broker the deal alongside Egypt and Qatar, two key partners in aiding the release of hostages.
“This will get the hostages out and get a significant amount of aid in,” Harris said Sunday of the current deal being discussed. “This would allow us to build something more enduring, to ensure Israel is secure and to respect the right of the Palestinian people to dignity, freedom and self-determination.”
“Hamas claims it wants a cease-fire,” she continued. “Well, there is a deal on the table. And as we have said, Hamas needs to agree to that deal. Let’s get a cease-fire, let’s reunite the hostages with their families and let’s provide immediate relief to the people of Gaza.”
Harris’ remarks came one day before she was set to meet in Washington with Benny Gantz, a member of Israel’s war cabinet and a rival of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They also come amid pressure from progressives for the Biden administration to demand a cease-fire in the war, which has claimed the lives of over 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.
In Michigan’s presidential primary last week, while President Joe Biden won with more than 81% of the vote, a concerted effort to get voters to select “uncommitted” as a protest vote against his stance in Gaza garnered more than 100,000 votes, or 13.2% of the overall total.
The Biden administration over the weekend participated in an airdrop of humanitarian assistance over Gaza, delivering over 38,000 meals for civilians in need.
“People in Gaza are starving,” she said. “The conditions are inhumane, and our common humanity compels us to act. As President Joe Biden said on Friday, the United States is committed to urgently get more lifesaving assistance to innocent Palestinians in need.”
Harris hailed the action and said that the U.S. will “work on a new route by sea to deliver aid” while calling on Israel to “do more to significantly increase the flow of aid.”
“No excuses, they must open new border crossings,” she said. “They must not impose any unnecessary restrictions on the delivery of aid. They must ensure humanitarian personnel, sites, and convoys are not targeted. And they must work to restore basic services and promote order in Gaza so more food, water, and fuel can reach those in need.”
At the same time, Harris defended Israel’s right to defend itself and said she and Biden are “unwavering” in their support for the country’s security, and said that Hamas “must be eliminated.”
“Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization that has vowed to repeat Oct. 7 again and again until Israel is annihilated,” she said. “Hamas has shown no regard for innocent life, including for the people of Gaza, who have suffered under its rule for almost two decades. And Hamas still holds dozens of hostages, for nearly 150 days now — innocent men and women, including American citizens, who were brutally taken from their homes and from a concert.”
At least one prominent progressive cheered Harris’ comments.
“The @VP has called for an immediate ceasefire, and urgent aid into Gaza,” wrote Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., on social media. “This is the first time this language has been used by the administration. It is important. Now let’s back it up with policy shift.”