On Friday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Lead,” Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) argued that the Biden administration needs “to push” Israel “even harder,” on protecting Palestinians “which is why I was glad that Secretary Blinken was in Israel today, really making that very important point.” And that while “Hamas hides among civilians,” “the civilian death toll is unacceptably high.”
Host Wolf Blitzer asked, “It wasn’t just Blinken. President Biden has been saying stuff like that as well. The Secretary of State…he was here in Israel today saying, more must be done to protect innocent Palestinian lives. Is the Biden administration, Senator, pushing Israel, do you believe, hard enough on this issue?”
Van Hollen answered, “Well, I think they need to push even harder, Wolf, which is why I was glad that Secretary Blinken was in Israel today, really making that very important point. Everybody recognizes that Israel has the right to defend itself. Everybody recognizes that they have a right to go after Hamas after the horrible attacks of October 7. And also, everyone recognizes it’s hard to do when Hamas hides among civilians, that said, the civilian death toll is unacceptably high. You see these bombs dropped on refugee camps. You now have 70% of the casualties and deaths, women and children. And so, Secretary Blinken is absolutely right to say, you have to find a better way to prosecute this war against Hamas and for now also allow that humanitarian pause so that the 2.2 million civilians who had nothing to do with these attacks are not deprived entirely of water, food, and medicine.”
Van Hollen also stated that he wants Hamas to release its hostages.
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
