US President Joe Biden gave an address following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
"October 7, which was a sacred Jewish holiday, became the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. It has brought to the surface painful memories and scars left by millennia of antisemitism and the genocide of the Jewish people. The world watched then, it knew. And the world did nothing. We will not stand by and do nothing again. No today, not tomorrow, and not ever." the President stated.
"To those who are living in limbo, waiting desperately to learn the fate of a loved one, especially to families of the hostages, you are not alone. We're working with partners throughout the region, pursuing every avenue to bring home those who are being held captive by Hamas," he continued.
Biden affirmed: "I can't speak publically about all the details, but let me assure you: For me, as the American President, there is no higher priority than the release and safe return of all these hostages.
The State of Israel was born to be a safe place for the Jewish people of the world ... While it may not feel that way today. Israel must again be a safe place for the Jewish people. And I promise you, we're going to do everything in our power to make sure that it will be,” he added.
"75 years ago, just 11 minutes after its founding, President Harry S. Truman and the United States of America became the first nation to recognize Israel. We've stood by your side ever since. We're gonna stand by your side now."
The President warned Israel against acting purely out of anger and repeating the mistakes of the US following 9/11.
"For a nation the size of Israel, it was like 15 9/11s," he said, comparing the "all-consuming rage" both nations felt. Justice must be done. But I caution this: While you feel that rage, don't be consumed by it. After 9/11, we were enraged in the United States. While we saw justice and got justice, we also made mistakes."
Biden reiterated his statements from earlier in the day that "the vast majority of Palestinians are not Hamas. Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. Hamas uses innocents, innocent families in Gaza as human shields, putting their command centers, their weapons, their communications tunnels, in residential areas."
The President also mentioned the explosion at a Gaza hospital that was caused by an errant Islamic Jihad missile: "I was outraged and saddened by the enormous loss of life at a hospital in Gaza. Based on the information we've seen today, it appears to be the result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza."
He also discussed providing humanitarian aid to Gazan civilians: "Today I asked the Israel Cabinet, who I met with for some time this morning, to agree to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza, based on the understanding that there will be inspections and that the aid will go to inspections and not to Hamas. Israel agreed that humanitarian assistance could begin to move from Egypt to Gaza. If Hamas diverts or steals the assistance, they will have demonstrated once again that they have no concern for the welfare of the Palestinian people. And it will end, as a practical matter, it will stop the international community from being able to provide this aid."