More Democrats call on Biden administration to urge Israel, Hamas to agree to cease-fire

Seven progressive House Democrats are calling on President Biden to push for a cease-fire during his visit to Israel on Wednesday in an effort to protect civilians, a day after hundreds were killed in an explosion in a Gaza hospital.

The Democrats said they support Israel in the conflict but want at least a temporary cease-fire in order to assist Palestinian civilians under siege in the 140-square mile territory.

“We remain outraged by the horrific terror attacks carried out by Hamas against Israeli civilians. We are also deeply alarmed by the rising civilian death toll in both Israel and Gaza, including nearly 1,400 Israelis and 3,000 Palestinians,” the group said in a statement. “This is a moment that calls for moral and strategic clarity. That is why we believe that the United States must help achieve an immediate ceasefire, or at minimum, a temporary cessation of all hostilities that stops the threats to civilians in Israel and Gaza.”

The statement was signed by Democratic Reps. Joaquin Castro (Texas), Greg Casar (Texas), Veronica Escobar (Texas), Jim McGovern (Mass.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) and Jesús “Chuy” García (Ill.).

Biden arrived in Israel on Wednesday to meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid the war with Hamas in Gaza.

“Let us be clear: our call for a ceasefire should not be mistaken as a lack of support for the protection of the people of Israel. To the contrary, it is because of our dedication to the safety of both Israelis and Palestinians that we seek a path forward without further escalating the toll of civilian dead and injured,” the group said.

Tensions are rising after the hospital explosion in Gaza. The two sides have traded blame for that incident, with Palestinian government claiming it was an Israeli strike and the Israeli military saying it was the result of an errant Palestinian rocket. The Gaza Health Authorities have said 471 people were killed in the blast, according to The New York Times.

Biden during his visit appeared to accept the Israeli argument that it was not to blame for the explosion.

“The point is, is that I was deeply saddened and outraged by the explosion of the hospital in Gaza yesterday, and based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you, but there’s a lot of people out there not sure, so we’ve got a lot — we’ve got to overcome a lot of things,” Biden said.

Anger about the deaths at the hospital spread across the Middle East, leading to new protests against Israel and complicating Biden’s visit.

It has also increased tensions within the Democratic Party that were already building due to Israel’s bombing of Gaza, a campaign launched in response to a deadly Hamas attack that heavily targeted Israeli civilians and left 1,400 Israelis dead. More than 3,400 people have been killed in Israel’s subsequent strikes on Gaza.

The statement Wednesday joins calls from a group of mostly progressive Democrats who have pushed for de-escalation in the conflict for days.

On Monday, Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) introduced a resolution demanding the Biden administration push for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, citing civilian casualties.

That resolution was co-sponsored by Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib (Mich.), Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.), Jonathan Jackson (Ill.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (Mass.), Nydia Velázquez (N.Y.), Omar and García.

Previous responses to the conflict from progressives, mostly urging peace, came under fire last week as not being supportive enough of the Israeli cause.