US Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday, the 3rd of March, demanded that the Palestinian militant group Hamas agree to an “immediate” six-week ceasefire, while openly rebuking and strongly urging Israel to do more to increase aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, where she said innocent people are suffering a “humanitarian catastrophe”, reports Reuters.
Harris, speaking at the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, but she mainly focused on Israel, in what was the sharpest rebuke to date of a senior US government leader over the dire conditions in Gaza.
“People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane… ,”
Harris said, insisting that the Israeli government must take more serious steps to increase the flow of aid without any excuses.
Last week, more than 100 Palestinians were killed when they approached an aid truck in Gaza, an event that Harris recalled in her speech, and which has underlined the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“We saw hungry, desperate people approaching aid trucks, simply trying to provide food for their families after weeks of almost no aid reaching northern Gaza, only to be met by gunfire and chaos,” said Harris.
Harris said Israel must open new crossings, not impose “unnecessary restrictions” on aid deliveries, protect humanitarian personnel and convoys from becoming targets, and work to restore basic services and promote order so that “more food, water and fuel can reach those in need”.
On Saturday, the US airlifted aid into the Gaza Strip for the first time.
Video of the U.S. dropping humanitarian aid for Gaza by parachute.
They also dropped MREs, which stay edible for years.
Via @MarioNawfal pic.twitter.com/ZZrejvp4K9
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 3, 2024
Israel refused to take part in the Gaza Strip ceasefire talks in Cairo on Sunday because Hamas rejected a request to provide a list of all hostages still alive, an Israeli newspaper reported.
“Hamas says it wants a ceasefire. There is a deal on the table. And as we have said, Hamas must agree to that deal,” Harris was quoted as saying, calling for a ceasefire so that the hostages can be reunited with their families.
Her comments reflected the strong dissatisfaction, if not despair, within the US government over the war, which has damaged President Joe Biden’s image among left-leaning voters, who is seeking re-election this year.
Also read: VIDEO | Over 100 dead in crowd near Gaza aid convoy; total death toll exceeds 30 000
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