Biden marks Ramadan, saying war has inflicted ‘terrible suffering’ on Gaza

World

President Biden, marking the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said he would push for a ceasefire in Gaza and more humanitarian aid for the territory, noting that many American Muslims were mourning family members killed there.

The war has inflicted “terrible suffering” on the Palestinian people, Mr. Biden said in the paper rack, which was released Sunday evening, adding that “more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, including thousands of children.” In addition, nearly two million people have been displaced and need food, water and shelter, he said.

Mr Biden’s comments were part of a tradition of US presidential statements marking religious holidays, but they had added political significance given the opposition of many Arab Americans to US support for Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

In a measure of the war’s potential electoral significance, more than 100,000 voters in Michigan’s Democratic primary last month registered their ballots as “uncaptured.” That signaled dissatisfaction with the war among Arab Americans, but also among some young voters and progressives, who found themselves in a state of struggle.

Noting that the United States is dropping aid by air, Mr. Biden reiterated the U.S. commitment to build a temporary pier on the Gaza coast, and work with Israel to expand land aid deliveries expand.

Since October 7, when Hamas led an attack on Israel that authorities there say killed about 1,200 people, the number of trucks entering Gaza daily carrying food and other humanitarian aid has fallen by about 80 percent, according to U.N. data.

“The United States will continue to work nonstop to achieve an immediate and lasting ceasefire for at least six weeks as part of any deal that releases hostages,” Mr. Biden said, referring to about 100 hostages which were seized by Israeli authorities on October 7. say they remain in captivity in Gaza.

“We will continue to build a future of long-term stability, security and peace,” he said in the statement, which also condemned a “terrible resurgence of hatred and violence against Muslim Americans.”