Harris is going to meet with Israeli minister but no cease-fire
The White House Plans to Meet with Israel on Monday for a Permanent War-Fire Agreement in the Near-Infrared, Secretary of State Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris will meet with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House on Monday, as the U.S. looks to secure a temporary cease-fire deal to bring in more humanitarian aid into Gaza and for hostages to be released, a White House official said.
The official said the vice president will reiterate the need for civilian casualties to be reduced. Harris also plans to express concern for the safety of people in Rafah, and “the importance of creating a hopeful political horizon for the Palestinian people,” the official added.
The visit of a former military chief could hurt Netanyahu’s relationship with him. An Israeli source with knowledge of the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly told NPR that Netanyahu was upset at gantz for arranging the Washington trip without his knowledge.
Ms. Harris was to meet with a top Israeli minister involved in war planning a day later, but her comments in Alabama gave a boost to the Biden administration’s push for an agreement. Her tone, sharper and more urgent than President Biden’s in recent days, showed the White House’s building frustration with Israel. Last month the president called Israel’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack “over the top.”
The Hamas-led attack killed over a thousand people and took more than 200 people hostages, according to Israeli officials. Israel’s response has killed more than 30,300 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
The U.S. began air-dropping desperately needed aid over the Gaza Strip on Saturday. Poor coordination with the Israeli military has made it difficult to get aid to Gaza.
Ms. Harris urged Israel to allow for an increase of aid into Gaza and assailed it as a humanitarian catastrophe.
Ms. Harris restated the United States’ support for Israel’s right to defend itself against the ongoing threat by Hamas, which she said had no regard for innocent life in Israel or in Gaza.
Ms Harris affirmed the support for a cease-fire from the Biden Administration, which would allow for the release of Israeli hostages taken during the attack in Israel. The U.S. officials said this weekend that Israel had signed on to the agreement, but that Hamas was still not on board.
There needs to be an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. The crowd that had gathered to honor the civil rights event gave a loud applause to that line.
Ms. Harris was in Selma on Sunday for the 59th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. Her comments on Israel were her most forceful to date on the Middle East conflict, which has killed more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to Gazan health authorities, and put the enclave on the brink of famine.
