White House national security spokesperson John Kirby got testy with a White House reporter Friday who argued the U.S. is funding both sides of the Israel-Hamas war.
President Joe Biden announced Friday that the U.S. military will conduct airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza as Israel continues its invasion of the territory, according to Al Jazeera. Hamas claimed seven captives were killed by Israel’s military operations, The Jerusalem Post reported.
“You’ve laid out now a couple of times the practical challenges that will be part of this air drop, or these air drops, and I’m kinda curious of that because those are risks that the United States now has to take on for itself, conducting the airdrops. The reason those risks now fall to the United States is because Israel is starving those people. So why are we still so supportive of Israel when it is the one that is creating the problem that the United States now has to try and mitigate?”
“Israel itself has tried to help with the delivery of humanitarian assistance, as I said, they tried airdrops themselves just a week or so ago on their own accord,” Kirby said.
“Then why are so many people still starving?” the reporter asked.
“It’s a war zone, and there’s nowhere else for them to go,” Kirby answered. “It’s not like in some other conflicts where they can easily flee and, and — let’s not forget how this started, okay? There’d be no need for airdrops if Hamas hadn’t chosen to break what was a ceasefire in place on the 6th of October. So let’s not forget how this started.”
The reporter continued to press as Kirby affirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas’ barbarous Oct. 7 attack. (RELATED: ‘Be More Respectful’: Kirby Snaps At White House Reporter As He Derails Briefing)
“Again, please, if you haven’t done it, I’d encourage you to go online and read the 2017 manifesto of Hamas. I know you’re smiling, but you should do it,” Kirby said. “Because if you don’t have any — wait, let me finish. Let me finish. This is an organization that has military capabilities and has every intent of wiping Israel and the Israeli people off the map. That has to be unacceptable to everybody.”
The reporter then referred to the recent incidents reportedly surrounding an aid truck that resulted in a number of Palestinian deaths and injuries, some possibly by Israeli fire in response, according to statements by an Israeli military official. He asked if Israel had been defending itself in the incident. Kirby said while Israel has the right to defend itself, too many civilian lives have been taken in the war and every step should be taken to avoid it.