US President Joe Biden on Saturday spoke at a dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ rights group, where he once denounced Hamas’ attack on Israel as well as hatred in general.
“A week ago, we saw hate manifested another way, with the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust,” Biden said at the dinner in Washington, DC, as quoted by CNN. “More than 1,300 innocent lives lost in Israel, including at least 27 Americans. Children, and grandparents alike kidnapped, held hostage by Hamas.”
The President also described the situation in Gaza as a "humanitarian crisis."
“Innocent Palestinian families — and the vast majority have nothing to do with Hamas — being used as human shields," Biden said.
Biden called the attacks a reminder that “hate just hides under the rocks until there's a little oxygen blown under."
"Hate toward one group left unanswered opens the door for more hate, toward more groups, more often, readily," Biden said, adding that "the antidote to hate is love" and "silence is complicity."
Biden has been consistent with his condemnation of the Hamas attack and of his support for Israel.
On Wednesday, the President spoke to heads of Jewish organizations and said, “My commitment to Israel’s security and the safety of the Jewish people is unshakable. The United States has Israel’s back and I have yours as well, both at home and abroad.”
“The miracle of Israel is Israel itself. The hope it inspires. The light it represents to the world. I was asked in one of my very frank conversations with Bibi and [President] Herzog why do I feel so deeply about this? It’s not about the region. I truly believe that were there no Israel, no Jew in the world will be ultimately safe. It’s the only ultimate guarantee,” he added.
On Friday, the President spoke for over an hour with families of 14 Americans who are missing following Hamas' attack on Israel.
Speaking to reporters following that conversation, Biden blasted Hamas and said the terrorist group is worse than Al-Qaeda.
“The more we learned about the attack, the more horrifying it becomes. More than 1,000 — 1,000 innocent lives lost, including at least 27 Americans. These guys make, they make Al-Qaeda look pure. They’re pure evil,” Biden said.