U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event to mark the ‘Bloody Sunday’ anniversary, in Selma, Alabama, U.S., March 3, 2024. REUTERS/Megan Varner
In a speech in Selma, Alabama, marking the 59th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday”, when Alabama state troopers attacked a peaceful civil rights march as it crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said that there should be “an immediate ceasefire” in Gaza.
“Given the immense scale of suffering in Gaza, there must be an immediate ceasefire, at least for the next six weeks,” Harris said during her remarks at the commemoration.
“People in Gaza are starving. The conditions are inhumane and our common humanity compels us to act,” Harris stated.
The vice president’s comments mark the highest-level call for a ceasefire by a member of the Biden administration.
The Biden administration has come under increased pressure from younger Democrat voters and party members to push for ceasefire.
U.S. President Joe Biden said he hoped to achieve a ceasefire before Ramadan, which starts March 10.
Harris cited “reports of families eating leaves or animal feed” but did not state where the reports come from.
Israel has increased the amount of aid entering the Gaza Strip and has allowed humanitarian aid airdrops by Arab nations like Jordan and the UAE as well as a recent airdrop by the U.S. last Thursday.
Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy has also accused the UN of not picking up aid after it crosses the borders into Gaza in a timely fashion.
A growing number of nations have increased calls for a ceasefire, meanwhile, in Israel several coalition members have indicated that Israel will not agree to further talks unless Hamas provides proof of the status of the remaining Israeli hostages.
Despite the increased verbal pressure on Israel by the international community to agree to a ceasefire, very few countries have placed such demands on Hamas.
In her speech, Harris said that “the threat that Hamas poses to Israel must be eliminated.” The Biden administration has not provided any explanation for how it envisions Israel eliminating the threat of Hamas without continuing the ground campaign in Gaza.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Sunday that Israel “will not end this war without eliminating Hamas.”
Hamas has also not made any concessions in hostage negotiation talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently accused them taking a hardline approach.
On Monday, Harris will meet with war cabinet member Benny Gantz at the White House. Gantz is on a visit to the US to meet with Republican and Democrat members of Congress.
According to a US official, National security adviser Jake Sullivan will also attend the meeting.
According to Israeli sources, Netanyahu did not authorize Gantz to speak for the Israeli government on the trip and is furious with Gantz for the travel without his approval.
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