US House Republicans Call for Hamas Condemnation, Increased Support of Israel – Report

The news comes as members of the so-called progressive Democratic group known as the “Squad” continue to denounce Israel in the ongoing conflict. They also criticized US President Joe Biden’s Wednesday speech in support of Israel, accusing him of siding with “the occupation,” and slammed Israel’s retaliation as an “act of terrorism.”

As the brutal conflict in the Middle East worsens, US Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) is leading an initiative in the US House of Representatives to condemn “acts of terrorism” done by Hamas and to increase support for Israel’s citizens, Fox News reported on Thursday.

The Florida representative expressed a belief that members of the informal group of Democratic lawmakers “are out of touch with America.”

“I’m trying to make sure that Congress stands up,” Gimenez continued. “You need to be counted. Who do you stand with? Do you stand with the terrorists of Hamas, or do you stand with the state of Israel? That’s another reason why we want to put this resolution forward.”

Smoke rises following Israeli airstrikes on a building in Gaza City, Thursday, May 13, 2021

Gimenez reportedly said he agrees with Biden’s remarks in favor of Israel and believes the Biden administration does not need to do anything to help at this time. On Wednesday, the US president said that “Israel has the right to defend itself, when you have thousands of rockets flying into your territory.”

On the same day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) expressed support for Israel, drawing a distinction between the Palestinian people and Hamas’ actions.

At the moment, according to the outlet, no Democrats have endorsed Gimenez’s bill, but the representative is hopeful that this will change.

Rockets are launched from Gaza city, controlled by the Palestinian Hamas movement, in response to an Israeli air strike on a 12-storey building in the city, towards the coastal city of Tel Aviv, on May 11, 2021.

Israel’s conflict with the Palestinian Gaza Strip abruptly escalated on Thursday, with the Israel Defense Forces announcing a military operation against Palestinian fighters that included both air and ground forces. 

Shortly after, reports emerged in the media that Israeli military vehicles crossed the border with Gaza, and that a ground incursion was being planned. However, sources within the Israeli security forces later told Sputnik that Israeli troops did not cross the border with Gaza, underscoring that ground forces are remotely firing at targets in the enclave.

Over the course of almost 4 days, Palestinian armed groups have fired a barrage of missiles into Israel, with the overall tally heading to almost 2,000 rockets. At the same time, Israel has pounded Gaza with more airstrikes and shells, killing at least 109 people, according to the enclave’s health ministry. The Jewish state also reportedly called up 9,000 more reservists.

Sourse: sputniknews.com