In face-to-face meetings in Washington, U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris push Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to close a ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00A monumental week for U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris after being thrust into the
00:05race for the White House in President Joe Biden's place.
00:08She capped it off by meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, where she
00:13took a firmer tone than Biden, expressing serious concern about the scale of human suffering
00:19in Gaza.
00:20We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies.
00:24We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering, and I will not be silent.
00:31Harris says it's thanks to President Biden's leadership that there is a deal on the table
00:35for a ceasefire and hostage release, and she called on Netanyahu to get it done.
00:41This comes after the Israeli prime minister's fiery speech to U.S. Congress, where he provided
00:45few details of such a deal.
00:48Israel has been waging a war against Hamas in Gaza after the militant group raided Israel
00:53in October last year.
00:56Over 39,000 people have been killed and over a million displaced in the enclave.
01:02The resulting humanitarian crisis has raised widespread international concern and caused
01:07divisions in Biden's own Democratic Party.
01:10With less than six months left in his term, Biden met with the Israeli leader in the Oval
01:15Office, the first time in person since he flew to Israel in a show of support days after
01:21the Hamas attack.
01:22Well, welcome back, Mr. Prime Minister, we've got a lot to talk about.
01:26Relations between the two nations have strained over Israel's military campaign, but the White
01:32House says they are closer now than ever to closing a three-phase deal that would free
01:37the over 100 remaining hostages in Gaza and ensure, quote, a full and complete ceasefire.
01:45This hope was echoed by families of American hostages who met with Biden and Netanyahu
01:50in Washington.
01:52We got absolute commitment from the Biden administration and from Prime Minister Netanyahu
01:57that they understand the urgency of this moment now to waste no time and to complete this
02:05deal as it currently stands.
02:07Outside the White House, pro-Palestinian protesters perform what they called a blood dump, pouring
02:13gallons of red-colored water on the street, angry at the scale of bloodshed in the ongoing
02:19conflict.
02:20Meanwhile, at home, growing backlash for Netanyahu as well, with protesters calling
02:25on him to bring back their loved ones and end the fighting once and for all.
02:31Klein Wong and Joyce Sim for Taiwan Plus.