Biden ignored staff over unverified 'Hamas beheaded babies' claim: Report
What's the story
Last month, United States (US) President Joe Biden ignored recommendations of some staffers to skip unverified claims of Hamas "beheading babies" in a speech, triggering backlash, per The Washington Post. This essentially highlighted a growing rift within the White House over the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terror group in Gaza. However, Biden reportedly accepted Vice President Kamala Harris's suggestion to denounce Islamophobia.
Context
Why does this story matter?
This revelation surfaced as the four-day truce between Hamas and Israel is set to end on Monday. However, the US—which is endorsing Israel in the conflict—and other countries are pushing to extend the pause. Notably, Hamas took around 240 hostages and killed 1,200 civilians during its surprise October 7 attacks in southern Israel. Israel then launched retaliatory strikes in Gaza, killing nearly 15,000 Palestinians.
Report
Biden denounced Islamophobia on Harris's suggestion: Report
In October, Biden spoke extensively about the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. However, The Washington Post reported he ignored his staff's advice against adding an "unverified" claim of "Hamas beheading babies" in a speech, upsetting some sections. But he reportedly accepted Harris's suggestion to add a line to his speech denouncing Islamophobia and how Muslims faced hate crimes for years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Details
Biden apologizes to Muslim Americans for questioning Gaza death toll
Biden also publicly questioned the accuracy of the civilian death toll—reported by the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry—in Gaza last month. He later met with and apologized to Muslim-American leaders upset with his remarks. Biden also heard their accounts describing people badly hit by the crisis. As they urged him to show more empathy for the Palestinians, Biden reportedly said, "I'm sorry. I'm disappointed in myself."
Meeting
War not political issue for Biden, says White House
Separately, on Palestinian Americans' opposition to Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict, a White House aide claimed Biden wasn't thinking "politically" but was merely trying to prevent World War III. This came after a protester urged people not to vote for Biden in the 2024 US presidential election. Notably, several American diplomats, aid workers, and defense officials advocated for a complete ceasefire in Gaza.
Joe Biden
Biden bats for two-state solution as Israel-Hamas truce nears end
Moreover, Biden on Sunday advocated the "two-state" solution for the Israel-Hamas conflict. He said that the US would not give up on working toward the goal of ensuring that Israelis and Palestinians live with equal dignity and freedom. Moreover, Biden stressed it was the only way to ensure the long-term security of both the Palestinian and the Israeli people.
Gaza war
Know about Israel-Hamas war
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel by air, land, and sea, killing around 1,200 people and abducting around 240 civilians. Israel responded with a deadly assault on Gaza, killing nearly 15,000 so far. On Friday, hostilities paused after Hamas and Israel agreed to a four-day truce brokered by Qatar and Egypt regarding the release of hostages and Palestinian detainees.