Biden spoke out against the sexual assaults committed by Hamas during the October 7 terror attack on Israel, urging everyone to condemn these horrific acts. He emphasized the unimaginable cruelty inflicted on survivors and witnesses, including reports of women being repeatedly raped, their bodies mutilated while still alive, and corpses being desecrated by Hamas terrorists. At a fundraising event in Boston, Biden described these atrocities as appalling.
He emphasized that the world cannot ignore the ongoing events and that it is the responsibility of everyone to strongly denounce the sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas terrorists. The president's remarks coincide with the backlash faced by Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal for not speaking out more strongly against the actions of Hamas, highlighting a division within the party regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In a new statement on Tuesday, Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, made clear her condemnation of Hamas' use of rape and sexual violence as an act of war. Her comments to CNN's Dana Bash on Sunday sparked controversy among her Democratic House colleagues. During her appearance on "State of the Union," Jayapal characterized the rape of Israeli women by Hamas as "horrific," and emphasized that over 15,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the start of the war. She also called for a balanced approach in addressing the atrocities committed against Palestinians.
In her most recent statement on Tuesday, Jayapal clarified that her comment regarding "balance" was not in reference to rape and was not intended to downplay the seriousness of rape and sexual assault in any way.
She emphasized, "Let me reiterate once again that I wholeheartedly denounce the use of rape and sexual violence as a tactic of war by Hamas." Jayapal added, "This is abhorrent, and globally, we must show our support for our sisters, families, and survivors of rape and sexual assault everywhere by speaking out against this violence and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable."
In the midst of the dispute over Jayapal's remarks, two House Democrats intend to introduce a resolution this week denouncing Hamas' use of sexual violence and rape against Israeli women.
On Tuesday, Biden also criticized Hamas for refusing to release more female hostages and for ending the ceasefire that the US had helped negotiate last week.
"Let me be absolutely clear: The refusal of Hamas to release the remaining young women is what caused this deal to break and the cessation of fighting to end. All those still held hostage by Hamas must be returned to their families without delay. We won't back down," he stated.
