Harris stresses US support for Israel, Gaza truce in talks with Gantz
Al Jazeera
Vice President Kamala Harris meets Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz amid growing pressure over the US’s Gaza war stance.
United States Vice President Kamala Harris has reiterated her country’s support for Israel and pushed for more humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip in talks with Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz.
In a readout of Monday’s meeting in Washington, DC, the White House said Harris “expressed her deep concern about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza”, a narrow Palestinian enclave that has been the subject of a deadly Israeli military offensive since October 7.
The statement explained that Harris emphasised the importance of reaching a deal that would see the release of captives taken by the Palestinian group Hamas in exchange for an immediate six-week truce.
“She urged Israel to take additional measures in cooperation with the United States and international partners to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza and ensure its safe distribution to those in need,” the statement also said.
Gantz’s visit to Washington, DC comes as US President Joe Biden’s administration faces widespread pressure to curb the US’s “unwavering” support for Israel in light of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza.
