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Biden admin ‘unequivocally’ condemns terror group Hamas, says US ‘stands with Israel’
The Biden administration “unequivocally” condemned terrorist organization Hamas on Saturday amid its unprecedented and “appalling” assaults against Israel, with President Biden and senior administration officials stressing that the United States “stands with Israel.”
Israeli officials said at least 250 people have been killed since Hamas terrorists started firing rockets and slaughtering Israelis near the Gaza Strip, making the conflict one of the deadliest attacks in the country’s history. At least 1,500 people have been wounded.
ISRAEL’S MILITARY SAYS FORCE IS ‘AT WAR’ WITH HAMAS AS IDF HITS BACK AT TERROR TARGETS
“Today, the people of Israel are under attack, orchestrated by a terrorist organization, Hamas,” President Biden said Saturday. “In this moment of tragedy, I want to say to them and to the world and to terrorists everywhere that the United States stands with Israel.”
He added: “We will not ever fail to have their back.”
Biden said that his administration’s “support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering.”
The president, and senior administration officials, have made “absolutely clear” to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli officials “across the political spectrum and their national security spectrum” that the United States stands “ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.”
ISRAEL STRIKES BACK AFTER TERRORISTS KILL AT LEAST 250
The president spoke to Netanyahu on Saturday and offered “full support to Israel.” A senior administration official said Biden and Netanyahu will stay in close contact.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed the situation with the Israeli Minister of Defense on Saturday as well, and is offering “full” U.S. military support to Israel.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke to Israeli President Herzog and the Israeli Foreign Minister, as well as his counterparts including from Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Italy.
Biden also spoke with the King of Jordan on Saturday, who he will stay in “regular” contact with.
“The United States stands with Israel. The United States unequivocally condemns the appalling assaults against Israel by Hamas terrorists in Gaza,” a senior administration official said Saturday evening.
“That’s why we have taken action throughout this administration,” the official said, adding that sanctions have been imposed on Iran for its support of Hamas and other terrorist organizations. “That is going to continue—believe me,” the official said. “Hamas is a terrorist group—full stop.”
LIVE UPDATES: ISRAELI PM BENJAMIN NETANYAHU PROMISES REVENGE AGAINST HAMAS FOR ATTACK
“What we’ve seen today is really an unprecedented assault, particularly these incursions into Israeli cities and literally murdering people, including families in their homes; taking hostages, including, we believe, children out of their homes—its just unspeakable,” the official continued.
The official added: “We will treat Hamas for what they are—they are an international terrorist organization…This was an attack by Hamas against the state and the people of Israel.”
In a video message early Saturday morning, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Citizens of Israel, we are at war — not in an operation, not in rounds — at war.”
A senior administration official said the United States will continue to provide Israel with support, including intelligence sharing.
“Israel has a right to defend itself and its people,” the official said, adding that there is “no doubt” that Hamas is “funded, equipped, armed by Iran and others.”
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Israel Defense spokesperson says Israel hasn’t regained full control
A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said his country hasn’t regained full control in the wake of attacks from militant group Hamas Saturday.
“There are still active battles between Israeli security forces and terrorists inside Gaza,” Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer. “And unfortunately, we have not yet been able to re-establish full control over all of our communities and all of our bases.”
“This is the top priority,” he added.
Hamas’ attack involved its militants infiltrating Israeli towns and the launching of missiles into Israel. Fighting in the region has resulted in the deaths of at least 250 people in Israel and 232 in Gaza, according to Israeli local media and the Palestinian government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack “murderous” in a televised address Saturday.
“We are at war — not in an operation or at rounds, but in a war,” Netanyahu said. “The enemy will pay an unprecedented price…We are at war and we will win it.”
President Joe Biden released a statement Saturday condemning the attacks.
“The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden’s Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, also made comments expressing solidarity with Israel in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
“We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel,” Blinken said on X. “We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks.”
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‘Squad’ Dems face backlash calling for ‘ceasefire’ after Israel attacks: ‘Can’t merely condemn terrorism’
“Squad” House Democrats known for criticizing the state of Israel faced massive backlash from conservatives online over their milquetoast statements following Hamas’s deadly surprise attack on Israel.
Several members of the informal progressive caucus published statements on Saturday condemning the violence and calling for the conflict to de-escalate.
Of the “Squad” members, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has been silent on the attack on Israel.
‘SQUAD’ DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR END OF ISRAEL’S ‘GAZA BLOCKADE’ AS HE CONDEMNS HAMAS TERROR ATTACKS
Fox News Digital reached out to Tlaib’s office for comment on the deadly surprise terrorist attack on Israel but did not receive a response.
Meanwhile, “Squad” queen Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., called for a “ceasefire and de-escalation” after the surprise terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel.
“Today is devastating for all those seeking a lasting peace and respect for human rights in Israel and Palestine. I condemn Hamas’ attack in the strongest possible terms,” the New York Democrat said.
“No child and family should ever endure this kind of violence and fear, and this violence will not solve the ongoing oppression and occupation in the region,” Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) continued.
“An immediate ceasefire and de-escalation is urgently needed to save lives,” she added.
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., — who has a history of controversial statements about Israel — condemned “the horrific acts we are seeing unfold today in Israel against children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed people who are being slaughtered and taken hostage by Hamas.”
“Such senseless violence will only repeat the back and forth cycle we’ve seen, which we cannot allow to continue,” Omar said.
“We need to call for deescalation and ceasefire,” she continued. “I will keep advocating for peace and justice throughout the Middle East.”
FOX & Friends Weekend co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy criticized Omar in a response to her statement, saying the congresswoman “will never acknowledge that there was peace in the Middle East [and] Europe when Trump was in office.”
Conservative commentator John Hasson also blasted Omar over her tweet.
“Notice how she only condemns the acts against ‘children, women, the elderly, and the unarmed.'” Hasson wrote. “She’s implying that attacking/killing IDF forces is fine.”
In 2021, Omar landed in hot water with senior members of her own party as well as her opponents when she compared America and Israel to murderous terrorist groups Hamas and the Taliban, saying the two democracies have committed “unthinkable atrocities.”
“We have seen unthinkable atrocities committed by the U.S., Hamas, Israel, Afghanistan, and the Taliban,” wrote Omar. “I asked [Secretary of State Antony Blinken] where people are supposed to go for justice.”
Additionally, during a 2021 ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, Omar said the fighting stopping wasn’t enough and that the U.S. was “underwriting crimes against humanity” through support for Israel and that there needed to be “accountability for every war crime committed.”
Amid the 2021 conflict, Omar also accused Israel of engaging in “terrorism” through their airstrikes that tragically killed civilians in the Gaza Strip.
“Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism. Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians. It’s unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid,” Omar wrote on Twitter.
In 2019, during her first term in office, Omar came under fire for a since-deleted tweet from 2012, where she wrote “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.”
Omar said the “unfortunate words were the only words” she could “think about expressing at that moment” while referring to the Israeli armed forces’ 2012 operation against Hamas in Gaza. She also defended the comments while speaking to comedian Trevor Noah on “The Daily Show.”
Omar, who previously has expressed regret over that tweet, responded by saying she had to “take a deep breath” and “understand where people were coming from and what point they were trying to make.”
Massachusetts Democrat Rep. Ayanna Pressley tweeted these “devastating attacks on Israelis are deeply alarming and my heart breaks for the victims [and] their loved ones.”
“We need an immediate ceasefire & de-escalation. It is long past time to stop this cycle of violence [and] trauma, and work toward a just [and] lasting peace in the region,” Pressley wrote.
Conservative commentator known online as Comfortably Smug criticized the “Squad” in a response to Pressley’s tweet.
“The squad telling Israel to stand down after it was attacked and hundreds of its citizens were massacred,” he wrote. “Incredible.”
New York Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman took to social media Saturday to call for an end to the Gaza blockade and condemned the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
“I strongly condemn the horrific attacks by Hamas and am saddened by the loss of precious lives, especially on the holy day of Simchat Torah,” Bowman said in a statement, which was shared to social media.
“We need a way to end this deadly violence that is killing and traumatizing generations of Israelis and Palestinians alike — including the blockade of Gaza,” he added. “I have been to the Gaza border and know that Israelis and Palestinians are constantly living in fear. We must work harder to ensure peace in the region.”
As new developments are made, Bowman, who made headlines recently after he pulled a fire alarm in Congress amid a vote to keep government open, said he and his team will be monitoring the situation closely, “especially since several of our Westchester service members are in the area of attacks.”
Conservative radio host Jason Rantz tweeted that “Bowman can’t merely condemn terrorism.”
“He has to include his ignorant criticism of Israel,” Rantz said.
Bowman has been criticized for his position toward Israel, and was one of nine progressives who voted against a resolution affirming Israel was not a racist or apartheid state earlier this year.
In recent weeks there have been protests in Gaza backed by Hamas against economic blockade of the region, which leaders described as aggressive.
“If there’s to be an explosion, let it be against the party that created these conditions, which is the (Israeli) occupation,” senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said earlier this wee, Reuters reported.
Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel as rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip struck the area on Saturday, killing over 200 Israelis.
A senior Hamas military commander, Mohammad Deif, announced the start of the operation in which he called on Palestinians everywhere to attack the Israelis, saying in a broadcast on Hamas media that the group launched 5,000 rockets. He called the attack “the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.”
Local Israeli media reported that at least 100 people have been killed in the wide-ranging assault, while Gaza health officials say that 198 Palestinians have died in Israeli air strikes made in response to the Hamas attack. Hospitals are treating at least 985 wounded people, including 77 who were in critical condition, the Associated Press reported based on public statements and calls to hospitals.
Fox News Digital’s Kyle Morris contributed reporting.
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DeSantis blasts Biden for ‘sleeping on the job,’ starting calls hours after Israel terror attacks began
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis lashed out at President Biden on Saturday amid a chaotic scene in the Middle East, accusing the U.S. commander in chief of “sleeping on the job” as Israel attempts to defend itself from Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
DeSantis’ comments, offered to reporters during one of his presidential campaign stops in Iowa, came after Hamas terrorists launched thousands of rockets into Israel early on Saturday morning.
“I saw the president’s comments with respect to the attacks on Israel. He said that he was up at 7:30 in the morning, but, you know, this was happening late, late last night into the early morning. The president needs to be there answering the call when our top ally in the Middle East is under the gun,” DeSantis said.
“You can’t be sleeping on the job. You’ve got to get there, you’ve got to do it, and you’ve got to engage,” he added. “I think that we need to see leadership here. We need a very clear voice, we need strong support for the state of Israel.”
In a press briefing Saturday afternoon, Biden condemned the attacks and vowed that “the United States stands with Israel, we will to ever fail to have fought back.”
“I got up this morning, started this at 7:30, 8:00 [a.m.], my calls,” Biden added.
The surprise attacks began around 6:30 a.m. in Israel’s time zone, Reuters reported — which would be 11:30 p.m. Eastern time. It’s unclear whether Biden was working before his calls. The White House did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
DeSantis also blasted the Biden administrations policy as it relates to Iran, saying it “has been to play nice with Iran.”
He also highlighted a recent move by the Biden administration to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds as part of a prisoner swap deal, saying that those exact funds were most likely not used but that the money is “fungible.”
“Of course they’re funding Hamas and Hezbollah in big ways,” he added.
Iran is a known backer of Hamas and praised the Saturday attacks on Israel. The State Department has previously said that Iran provides some $100 million a year to Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
DeSantis described the Iran-backed attack on Israel as probably the “worst attack Israel’s faced since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.”
‘SQUAD’ DEMOCRAT CALLS FOR END OF ISRAEL’S ‘GAZA BLOCKADE’ AS HE CONDEMNS HAMAS TERROR ATTACKS
“We’re standing with them,” he said. “It’s important that in America that we all acknowledge and support their right to defend themselves… These are terrorist attacks.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for a response to DeSantis’ remarks, but did not receive an immediate response.
Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel as rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip struck the area on Saturday, killing at least 200 Israelis and wounding at least 985 others, according to The Associated Press.
A senior Hamas military commander, Mohammad Deif, announced the start of the operation in which he called on Palestinians everywhere to attack the Israelis, saying in a broadcast on Hamas media that the group launched thousands of rockets and calling the attack “the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.”
Reports on the number of rockets have ranged from 2,100 to 5,000 – the former reported by the IDF and the latter claimed by Deif in his initial announcement.
The IDF claimed to have blocked many of the rockets with the country’s robust missile defense system Iron Dome. A retaliatory strike on Hamas targets has resulted in at least 198 Palestinians killed, according to Gaza health officials.
In a video message early Saturday morning, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Citizens of Israel, we are at war — not in an operation, not in rounds — at war.” Netanyahu’s office said he would meet top security officials in the coming hours to address the operation.
Fox News’ Peter Aitken and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
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McCarthy stands by averting shutdown in light of Israel attacks: ‘Think if we were shut down right now’
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is standing by his efforts to keep government, even though his actions contributed to eight members of his caucus voting booting him from the job, in light of unprecedented attacks on Israel by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
“There is nothing the House can do until they elect a speaker, and I don’t know if that happens quickly. The speaker is part of the ‘Gang of 8’ that takes action to be able to have briefing,” McCarthy said during a Saturday appearance on “Fox News Live.”
“But think about this: Why would you ever remove a speaker during a term to raise doubt around the world? The other thing that happens here, too, is that it’s driven by only four percent within the Republican Party, driven by one person that’s afraid of an ethics complaint,” he continued, referencing Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz who introduced a motion to vacate the speakership.
“I don’t know what’s in it, but it must be very serious that Matt Gaetz is so afraid that he would put himself and his fear of what he has done over the protection of the nation.”
“And for Democrats to join those eight individuals after I just moved to keep government open… could you imagine had I not done that? That our military [would] not being paid right now, that our border would be wide open.… This could shift to our country,” he added.
ABSENCE OF HOUSE SPEAKER COULD HAVE SERIOUS IMPACT ON US HANDLING OF TERROR ATTACKS IN ISRAEL
Describing his assessment of the situation, McCarthy, who was ousted from his role as House speaker on Tuesday, said he had spoken with Israeli Knesset speaker Amir Ohana following the attacks on Israel by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
“This is different. They are telling me this is their Pearl Harbor,” McCarthy said. “You’ve got to understand – 5,000 missiles are what are overwhelming the Iron Dome. The Iron Dome can only take so many.”
McCarthy also noted the street fighting inside Israel where Hamas militants battle for control of individual neighborhoods.
“The atrocities that have happened here, the killing of children, the kidnapping of children and grandparents, and others… this is all well-planned months in advance, and this could not, Hamas could not, go forward without the approval of Iran,” McCarthy said of the conflict. “They would not have the resources for the missiles, for the weaponry, without Iran applying them.”
“Israel has to take care of this situation, and it won’t be one or two days,” he added. “This is different than anything we’ve seen in 50 years what is going on in Israel, and there’s a reason for it.”
The reason, McCarthy said, is due to a “shift in our administration to Iran,” paired with the recent move by the Biden administration to release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds as part of a prisoner swap deal.
Iranian backed Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel as rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip struck the area on Saturday, killing at least 100 Israelis in an attack the Islamist movement Hamas is taking responsibility for.
A senior Hamas military commander, Mohammad Deif, announced the start of the operation in which he called on Palestinians everywhere to attack the Israelis, saying in a broadcast on Hamas media that the group launched 5,000 rockets and calling the attack “the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.”
Local Israeli media reported that at least 100 people have been killed in the wide-ranging assault, while Gaza health officials say that 198 Palestinians have died in Israeli air strikes made in response to the Hamas attack. Hospitals are treating at least 985 wounded people, including 77 who were in critical condition, the Associated Press reported based on public statements and calls to hospitals.
The IDF announced it would mobilize its forces in response to the attacks, confirming that Hamas has taken hostages and held prisoners of war in Gaza. Israeli military forces have moved troops to the Gaza border, where gunfire has already started as the forces move towards each other, Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reported from Israel.
Fox News’ Landon Mion and Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
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Trump: Israel attack results of U.S. being seen as ‘weak and ineffective’
Former President Trump said that recent attacks on Israel by the militant group Hamas are a result of the U.S. being seen as “weak and ineffective” in remarks on Saturday.
“The Israeli attack was made because we are perceived as being weak and ineffective and with a really weak leader,” the former president said at an event in Waterloo, Iowa.
“All over the world things are not what they were just three years ago,” he added.
Trump also said in an earlier statement on the attack that “Israel has a right to defend itself.”
“Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration,” Trump said. “We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again.”
President Joe Biden, Trump’s 2020 presidential rival and likely his 2024 rival, also released a statement in which he said the U.S. condemns the attacks.
“The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel,” Biden said in a statement.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) went after Republicans on Saturday for their critiques of Biden during the attacks, calling the criticism “partisan hackery.”
“This is partisan hackery at a time when we need statesmanship. Really bad faith,” Murphy said on X. “Trying to win cheap political points by shifting the blame away from the terrorists is a gift to Hamas right now”
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‘Squad’ Democrat calls for end of Israel’s ‘Gaza blockade’ as he condemns Hamas terror attacks
New York Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a member of the group of House progressives known as “The Squad,” took to social media Saturday to call for an end to the Gaza blockade and condemn the Iranian-backed Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
“I strongly condemn the horrific attacks by Hamas and am saddened by the loss of precious lives, especially on the holy day of Simchat Torah,” Bowman said in a statement, which was shared to social media.
“We need a way to end this deadly violence that is killing and traumatizing generations of Israelis and Palestinians alike — including the blockade of Gaza,” he added. “I have been to the Gaza border and know that Israelis and Palestinians are constantly living in fear. We must work harder to ensure peace in the region.”
As new developments are made, Bowman, who made headlines recently after he pulled a fire alarm in Congress amid a vote to keep government open, said he and his team will be monitoring the situation closely, “especially since several of our Westchester service members are in the area of attacks.”
Bowman has been criticized for his position toward Israel, and was one of nine progressives who voted against a resolution affirming Israel was not a racist or apartheid state earlier this year.
In recent weeks there have been protests in Gaza backed by Hamas against economic blockade of the region, which leaders described as aggressive.
“If there’s to be an explosion, let it be against the party that created these conditions, which is the (Israeli) occupation,” senior Hamas official Bassem Naim said earlier this wee, Reuters reported.
Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists invaded areas of southern Israel as rocket barrages launched from the Gaza Strip struck the area on Saturday, killing over 200 Israelis.
A senior Hamas military commander, Mohammad Deif, announced the start of the operation in which he called on Palestinians everywhere to attack the Israelis, saying in a broadcast on Hamas media that the group launched 5,000 rockets. He called the attack “the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth.”
Local Israeli media reported that at least 100 people have been killed in the wide-ranging assault, while Gaza health officials say that 198 Palestinians have died in Israeli air strikes made in response to the Hamas attack. Hospitals are treating at least 985 wounded people, including 77 who were in critical condition, the Associated Press reported based on public statements and calls to hospitals.
The IDF announced it would mobilize its forces in response to the attacks, confirming that Hamas has taken hostages and held prisoners of war in Gaza. Israeli military forces have moved troops to the Gaza border, where gunfire has already started as the forces move towards each other, Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst reported from Israel.
ABSENCE OF HOUSE SPEAKER COULD HAVE SERIOUS IMPACT ON US HANDLING OF TERROR ATTACKS IN ISRAEL
In a video message early Saturday morning, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “Citizens of Israel, we are at war — not in an operation, not in rounds — at war.”
Ambulance crews responded to areas around the Gaza Strip, and sirens sounded across Israel. Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, the largest town in southern Israel, is treating 140 wounded, including 20 in serious and critical condition. Some of these wounded people are civilians. Another hospital in Ashkelon is treating 94 victims wounded in various conditions.
According to Israeli media, gunmen opened fire on passersby in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, and footage of the fighting appeared to show attacks in city streets: “A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Residents in the area surrounding the Gaza Strip are urged to remain in their homes.
The Gaza Strip is a 140-square-mile piece of land occupied by Palestinians bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Egypt and Israel. The area has been a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has been on the global radar for decades.
The land was occupied by Egypt until Israel took it over during 1967’s Six-Day War. The first intifada, or uprising, was sparked on December 9, 1987, in Gaza when an Israeli truck ran into and killed four Palestinians.
Fox News’ Landon Mion, Chris Pandolfo, and Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
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