Last night, President Joe Biden emphasized the need for a “pause” in the Israel-Hamas conflict to facilitate the release of “prisoners.” Speaking at a campaign reception in Minnesota, Biden responded to a protester’s question by stating, “I think we need a pause.” When asked to clarify what a pause meant, he explained, “A pause means give time to get the prisoners out. Give time.”
Efforts to secure the release of 239 hostages, including children and the elderly, have been ongoing since the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,400 lives in Israel. Following Hamas’s breach of Israel’s border wall, other groups from Gaza also took additional captives.
The protester, Jessica Rosenberg, urged President Biden to call for an immediate cease-fire, stating, “Mr. President, you care about Jewish people. ….I need you to call for a cease-fire right now.” Despite attempts by the crowd to silence her, she persisted, saying, “I would love for you to answer my question.” It was at this point that Biden called for a pause.
He went on to say: “This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis. I can thoroughly understand the emotions on the Palestinian side of the argument and the Jewish side of the argument.”
Last week, he stressed the necessity to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, aligning with Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s assertion that “humanitarian pauses must be considered.” These pauses would allow the smooth flow of essential humanitarian assistance, including food, water, and medicine, into Gaza.
{Matzav.com}