Vice President Kamala Harris condemned the increasing civilian casualties in Gaza — saying there are “too many” following Israel’s latest airstrike against a school building housing Hamas operatives and refugees.
Speaking at a campaign event in Phoenix on Saturday, Harris stressed that the Israel Defense Forces had “an important responsibility” to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza as the Hamas-run health ministry estimates that the death toll is approaching 40,000.
“Far too many civilians have been killed yet again,” Harris said following the IDF’s airstrike on the Gaza City school.
Her comments come after the Uncommitted National Movement — the group that mobilized more than 100,000 people to withhold their votes from President Biden over his support for Israel — claimed that Harris “expressed an openness” to meeting with them to discuss a possible arms embargo against the Jewish state.
The claim quickly sparked outrage among Israel supporters, who say it is just more evidence of her kowtowing to the radical, anti-Israel mob.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) interpreted the news as Harris appeasing a pro-Hamas undercurrent in her party.
“Kamala Harris is a Hamas sympathizer. She has made it crystal clear that she will stand with Hamas as the Jewish people are relentlessly attacked by Hamas terrorists,” she told The Post Friday.
Harris then insisted Saturday that Israel has a right to “go after Hamas,” however, her condemnation of the strike echoes growing strains between the White House and Jerusalem over the war in Gaza.
Gaza health officials claimed on Saturday that at least 90 people were killed, including women and children, when an IDF missile struck the Tabeen school, which Israel alleged was harboring Hamas militants and senior commanders.
Gaza officials do not differentiate between terrorists and civilians when reporting on the dead.
The Israeli military rejected the claims as “exaggerated,” estimating that the strike actually killed about 20 terrorists.
The IDF did not say how many civilians it believed died in the strike on the school, which was also sheltering refugees, but said the military took all the necessary precautions to limit harm to civilians.
With Hamas routinely using schools to hide in and the IDF carrying out airstrikes on the buildings, nearly 85% of schools in Gaza have been directly hit or damaged as of July, according to the United Nations.
The situation has drawn scrutiny from US officials attempting to balance support for Israel while also urging the IDF to avoid civilian casualties despite Hamas’ tactics.
Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, has found herself at the center of the debate after leaders of the Uncommitted National Movement said the vice president was open to meet with them.
“She said, ‘Yes I will meet with you,’” group founder Layla Elabed said in a video posted to X on Thursday.
“And I understand when she agreed to meet with me, she wasn’t agreeing to an arms embargo, she was agreeing to discuss an arms embargo and discuss a policy that will save lives now in Gaza and hopefully get us to a point where we can put our support behind VP Harris.”
Fellow Uncommitted Movement founder Abbas Alawieh seconded Elabed’s account of Harris’ agreement to meet — and also claimed that Democratic Party leaders showed sympathy with their desire for an arms embargo.
Harris’ National Security Advisor, Phil Gordon, however, said Harris does not support an arms embargo against Israel.
He added that “she will continue to work to protect civilians in Gaza and to uphold international humanitarian law.”
With Post wires
