President Joe Biden opened his visit to Israel on Wednesday vowing to show the world the U.S. stands alongside the Jewish people in their fight against Hamas terrorists while assessing the deadly explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital as appearing to have been carried out “by the other team” and not the Israeli military.
He added the Hamas terror group had only brought suffering to those living in Gaza, the West Bank and beyond.
AP reports the president said, “Based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you,” during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, referring to Hamas terrorists.
Biden conceded there were “a lot of people out there” who weren’t sure what caused the blast.
As Breitbart News reported, the Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror organization was responsible for an explosion at the Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City, due to a misfired rocket intended to kill Israeli civilians, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
JUST IN: https://t.co/pKczzFwJh1
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) October 17, 2023
The deadly blast, which reportedly killed hundreds of people, sparked outrage, with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas dropping a meeting Wednesday with Biden over the issue.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have since released audio they say shows the terrorists reacting once they realise their mistake.
Islamic Jihad struck a Hospital in Gaza—the IDF did not.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2023
Listen to the terrorists as they realize this themselves: pic.twitter.com/u7WyU8Rxwz
A “proud” Biden told Netanyahu he was “deeply saddened and outraged” by the explosion. But he also said it was not hyperbole to say Hamas had “slaughtered” Israelis in the Oct. 7 attack that saw mass rape, torture and slaughter inflicted on Israeli civilians.
“Americans are grieving, they really are,” Biden said, according to the AP report. “Americans are worried.”
“I want to say to the people of Israel — their courage, their commitment and their bravery is stunning,” Biden added.
Netanyahu thanked Biden for coming to Israel, telling him the visit was “deeply, deeply moving.”
President Joe Biden is greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
People stand along the motorcade route as President Joe Biden travels to meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, in Tel Aviv. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
“I know I speak for all the people of Israel when I say thank you Mr. President, thank you for standing with Israel today, tomorrow and always.”
Biden had touched down in Israel early on Wednesday morning before heading straight to a hotel in Tel Aviv for his meeting with the Israeli leader.
