Gaza children ‘deliberately’ shot, say US medical workers in letter to Biden, Harris
A group of 45 American doctors and nurses who have experience working in Gaza since October have written a letter to US President Joe Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris recounting “the massive human toll from Israel’s attack” on the territory.
The multi-faith, multiethnic group said their experience in the warzone made them “uniquely positioned” to comment as the US considered its continued support for Israel’s war on Gaza.
“It is likely that the death toll from this conflict is already greater than 92,000, an astonishing 4.2% of Gaza’s population,” they write, adding that every signatory to the joint letter had treated Palestinian children who “must have been deliberately” targeted for attack.
“Every one of us on a daily basis treated pre-teen children who were shot in the head and chest,” they wrote.
With a few exceptions, “everyone in Gaza is sick, injured, or both”, they added.
This is an open letter addressed to @POTUS, @VP , and @FLOTUS signed by 45 American physicians and nurses, about what we saw while working in Gaza. Please feel free to distribute. A PDF can be downloaded from the link and/or QR code on page 1. pic.twitter.com/LHVvmeAFad
— Feroze Sidhwa (@FerozeSidhwa) July 25, 2024
Israeli official says Harris’s comments harmful to Gaza negotiations: Report
An Israeli official has claimed that comments by US Vice President Kamala Harris calling for an end to the war and highlighting the “dire humanitarian crisis” for Palestinians will embolden Hamas and harm ceasefire negotiations, The Times of Israel reports.
“What is Hamas supposed to think when it hears this?” the anonymous official told the newspaper, suggesting her comments could lead the Palestinian group to toughen its demands. “I hope it won’t lead to regression in the talks because we’ve made a lot of progress.”
“We are on a path of cooperation and closing gaps,” the Israeli official added. “But that is why Harris’s press conference was so problematic.”
Earlier, we reported that the likely Democratic presidential nominee said she “will not be silent” about the “suffering” in Gaza, following her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington, DC on Thursday.
Harris expressed ‘concern’ over Israeli settler violence in Netanyahu meeting
US Vice President Kamala Harris has raised the issue of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank during discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to a readout of the meeting.
“The Vice President also expressed her concern about actions that undermine stability and security in the West Bank, such as extremist settler violence and settlement expansion,” the White House said.
Harris condemned “pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric” following protests in Washington to mark Netanyahu’s address to Congress, and she reiterated her “longstanding and unwavering commitment to the security of the State of Israel”.
The likely Democratic presidential nominee also raised the need to “reach a durable end to the war in Gaza” and the “need to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza”.
Israel’s Smotrich takes aim at Harris over Gaza ceasefire call
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has accused US Vice President Kamala Harris of being in favour of a Gaza ceasefire deal that would see Israel “surrendering” to Hamas.
In a post on social media, Smotrich said Harris had “revealed” what was really behind a deal currently being negotiated to bring an end to the war in Gaza and the return of Israeli captives.
The far-right minister appeared to be referring to comments by Harris following a meeting with the Israeli prime minister in Washington, DC on Thursday night, where she spoke about the suffering of people in Gaza and the need for a ceasefire.
“It is time for this war to end,” Harris said in a televised statement after she held face-to-face talks with Netanyahu.
According to Smotrich, Harris’s comments revealed “to the whole world” that the deal involved “surrendering” to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and “ending the war in a way that would allow Hamas to rehabilitate”.
“Do not fall into this trap!” he said.
Israel’s Ben-Gvir dismisses Harris’s remarks on ‘suffering’ in Gaza
“There will be no truce, Madam Candidate,” Israel’s Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir writes on X.
He was responding to US Vice President and presidential hopeful Kamala Harris, who said after meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that she would “not be silent” about the “suffering” in Gaza.
Ben-Gvir’s message came after far-right Economy Minister Bezalel Smotrich said this morning that Harris’s push for a ceasefire proves that the deal is about “surrendering to [Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar”.
