Trump calls for Hamas to be taken down “for its ‘cruelty’ against Israel” and accuses “weak” Biden of encouraging terrorists when he incited a rally in Iowa
- Donald Trump said at his presidential rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that Israeli attacks must be crushed and avenged
- At another rally in Waterloo, Iowa, he called President Joe Biden a weak and ineffective leader
- The attacks killed 300 Israelis and injured 1,590
Donald Trump said Hamas’ bloody attack on Israel was an “act of cruelty that must be crushed” and accused Joe Biden of being a weak and ineffective leader.
The former president condemned the attacks at his presidential rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Saturday and used them as an opportunity to once again blast his political rival.
“The terrorist invasion of Israeli territory and the murder of Israeli soldiers and citizens is an act of cruelty that must and will be crushed and avenged,” he said.
“As president, I will once again stand with Israel and we will defund the Palestinian terrorists from day one,” he told the cheering crowd.”
The Republican said at another rally in Waterloo, Iowa, that Democrat Biden made the U.S. look weak on the world stage.
“The Israeli attack was carried out because we are perceived as weak and ineffective and have a really weak leader,” he said.
“It was a big attack with a lot of deaths everywhere. Who would think that? And the only difference, I think, is the difference between one president and another president.”
Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, attacking by land, air and sea.
The attacks killed more than 300 people and injured 1,590 in the first 24 hours alone.
“This is our 9/11,” Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan said in an appearance on Fox News on Saturday. “Babies, women and elderly people were dragged from their homes and taken hostage.”
“These animals will pay a heavy price and they will learn that these atrocities must not be committed against our civilians again,” he said
Hamas, the Gaza Strip’s de facto governing body, claims to have fired 5,000 rockets into Israel, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The coordinated attack tore down border fences, immobilized tanks, reportedly took dozens of hostages and attacked residential buildings.
The killing of civilians was widely condemned by world leaders and prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to say the country was at “war.”
Gun battles continued on the streets of Israel early Sunday, about 24 hours after the attack began.
Biden has offered his “unwavering” support to Israel and said it has “the right to defend itself and its people.”
“This is not the moment for a party hostile to Israel to exploit these attacks to gain an advantage,” he said. “The world is watching.”
Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday morning to offer support to the United States.
The White House condemned the “unprovoked attacks” against Israeli civilians in a strong statement on Saturday morning.
“The United States unequivocally condemns the unprovoked attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israeli civilians.” “There is never justification for terrorism,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in the statement