Vice President Kamala Harris mourned the Palestinian civilians killed in an Israeli hostage rescue operation.
Speaking to the Michigan Democratic Party, Harris prefaced her remarks by expressing condolences toward the Palestinian casualties. Michigan is known for having one of the largest Muslim and Arab populations in the United States.
“On Oct. 7, Hamas committed a brutal massacre of 1,200 innocent people and abducted 250 hostages,” Harris said. “Thankfully, four of those hostages were reunited with their families tonight. And we mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today.”
“We have been working every day to bring an end to this conflict in a way that ensures Israel is secure, brings home all hostages, ends ongoing suffering for Palestinian people, and ensures that Palestinians can enjoy their right to self-determination, dignity, and freedom,” Harris added. “As President Biden said last week, it is time for this war to end.”
The raid into the Nuseirat camp, which rescued four hostages seized on Oct. 7, wrought dozens of civilian casualties. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry put the total number of killed at 274 Palestinians, with many being civilians, while Israel put the total at less than 100, according to reports. One Israeli officer was killed.
The operation was meticulously planned over the course of weeks, with the United States assisting with intelligence, according to two U.S. officials speaking with CBS News.
The operation was unusual for occurring in broad daylight. The IDF said this was to maintain the element of surprise. The other result was for the streets to be crowded with hundreds of civilians shopping at a nearby market. One local resident, Nidal Abdo, estimated to CNN that 150 rockets fell within 10 minutes, wreaking havoc.
Videos published on social media showed dozens of civilian casualties. Footage of the aftermath showed all surrounding buildings destroyed or heavily damaged.
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IDF Spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said that the casualties were a tragedy but entirely due to the tactics of Hamas. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan made similar remarks.
The deadly operation is likely to further jeopardize a ceasefire deal.
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