Democratic Senator John Fetterman has lashed out at President Biden and denounced his remarks about the death toll in the Middle East conflict. The President claims 30,000 have died in the war, but Fetterman said Biden and others fail to note that this includes a vast number of Hamas fighters. Speaking to Fox News, Senator Fetterman additionally stated that the war would end if Hamas surrendered and freed the remaining Israeli hostages. He noted that this point is rarely discussed and does not seem on his colleagues’ radar.
Mr. Fetterman emphasized that the overall death toll includes around 13,000 Hamas combatants and condemned those who refer to Israel’s military action in the region as “genocide.” He furthermore declared that Hamas is the only party targeting civilians.
The Senator responded to President Biden’s remarks during an MSNBC interview, in which he described his “red lines” with Israel. For example, Jonathan Capehart asked what, if anything, would make him cut ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The President said there is no red line but added there cannot be “another” 30,000 dead Palestinians. “I’m never going to leave Israel,” he said, offering reassurance that America will remain the Jewish state’s ally while suggesting there are other ways to “deal with” Hamas.
Senator Fetterman is one of the more outspoken Israel supporters on Capitol Hill. Immediately after the terror attack on the Jewish state last October, he issued an unequivocal statement saying he would back any “necessary military, intelligence, and humanitarian aid to Israel.” He insisted that the United States has to “be in lockstep” with its most crucial Middle East ally.
The Pennsylvania lawmaker furthermore condemned Vice President Kamala Harris for warning Mr. Netanyahu not to mount a ground invasion of Rafah, a region in southern Gaza where leaders believe the last batch of Hamas fighters are hiding. Harris warned of “consequences” for Mr. Netanyahu, but on social media, Fetterman said Israel must be permitted to “eliminate” Hamas.
