Speaking at a Michigan Democratic Party fundraiser, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said on Saturday that she mourns the Gazans killed during Israel’s raid that freed four hostages.
“Before I begin, I just say a few words about the morning which I know weighs heavily on all of our hearts,” Harris said, per Fox News.
“On Oct. 7, Hamas committed a brutal massacre of 1,200 innocent people and abducted 250 hostages,” she said. “Thankfully, four of those hostages were reunited with their families tonight. And we mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today.”
A state with a large Muslim population, Michigan is reportedly a concern for the Biden campaign in the upcoming election.
In the hours after Israel freed the four hostages, it was revealed that civilians, including a reporter who had contributed to Al Jazeera and Palestine Chronicle, held the Israeli hostages as prisoners in their homes. Israeli forces also sustained heavy fire from terrorists as they sought to evacuate the hostages.
“Hamas-run authorities in Gaza claim over 270 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli operation, though they make no distinction between militants and innocents,” Fox News reported. “Israeli forces claim the number was fewer than 100.”
“Kamala Harris mourns the terrorist hostage takers,” wrote the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The Republican Jewish Coalition asked, “Why is it so hard for the Biden administration to stand with Israel in its fight to defeat Hamas terrorists and rescue the remaining hostages?”
“Does she mourn the loss of the Hamas guys with RPGs who came to stop the Israelis from leaving, causing many of the casualties? Did they make her list?” wrote Clifford Asness, a Jewish billionaire hedge-fund manager with a large social-media following.
Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security advisor, also said that innocent people were killed. “The exact number we don’t know, but innocent people were killed,” he told CNN. “Every day that we see more innocent people lost is another horrible, awful, tragic day.”
The U.S. vice president was briefly heckled during her remarks.
