Kamala Harris vows not to be silent on Gaza in first meeting with Netanyahu, sparking fears of hostage deal collapse

US Vice President Kamala Harris has vowed to “not remain silent” on the devastating war in Gaza after her first meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Harris expressed “serious concerns” about the dire situation in the Middle East, raising fears that the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas could again collapse.

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Netanyahu also spoke with current President Joe Biden ahead of the meeting with the vice president as the two leaders discussed a possible ceasefire and a hostage release deal.

Harris – whose husband is Jewish – then spent 40 minutes with Netanyahu at the White House, with the two men apparently discussing Israel’s presence in Gaza over the past few months.

Harris announced Thursday: “I expressed to the Prime Minister my grave concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the deaths of far too many innocent civilians.

“The images of dead children and desperate, starving people fleeing for safety, sometimes from homes displaced for the second, third or fourth time.

“I have made clear my deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation there.”

Netanyahu was reportedly asked about the lack of food sent to Gaza and the large number of Palestinians displaced from their homes since Israel retaliated against Hamas after October 7.

Harris added: “We cannot look away from these tragedies. We cannot afford to become numb to the suffering. And I will not remain silent.”

The potential future The president also condemned Hamas, calling it a “brutal terrorist organization” for provoking this terrifying war.

She also highlighted her long-standing support for Israel and said she plans to raise money to plant trees in the country where she grew up.

The visit comes as Netanyahu’s trip to Washington was overshadowed by scenes of violence, vandalism and protests against the conflict.

Protesters also burned the American flag and erected anti-Semitic effigies of the Israeli leader.

Harris lambasted pro-Hamas graffiti scrawled on monuments in protest of Netanyahu’s speech.

She said: “Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric are abhorrent and we must not tolerate them in our nation.”

Speaking on a ceasefire agreement, Harris outlined the work she hopes will free Gaza from misery.

The vice president announced that the first step would be the declaration of a “total ceasefire.”

The complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from civilian areas of Gaza would allow the process to be restarted with the immediate delivery of aid by air.

The second phase would see the Israeli army leave the whole of Gaza, leading to a “permanent end to hostilities.”

In return, Hamas will have to release all hostages under its control.

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Harris says she is committed to finding a two-state solution to ensure an end to the war so that “the Palestinian people can exercise their right to freedom, dignity and self-determination.”

A similar proposal was announced by Biden earlier this year, saying Gaza would be rebuilt as soon as the conflict ended.

In recent months, Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected all the proposals, saying they do not contribute to Israel’s security.

The prime minister says Hamas must be completely destroyed so that it can never attack Israel again.

After detailing the “frank and constructive” conversation between the two men, Harris then made a direct appeal to voters who are calling on Biden to cut ties with Israel until it ends the war.

“To all those calling for a ceasefire and to all those longing for peace, I see you and I hear you,” she said.

Netanyahu has not spoken publicly about his meeting with Harris.

Harris officially launched her presidential campaign this week as she arrived in the key swing state of Wisconsin on Tuesday.

She also managed to raise a record $81 million in just 24 hours after setting up her booth to secure the Democratic nomination.

“LET’S GO”

President Biden welcomed the Israeli prime minister to the White House before saying: “We have a lot to talk about. I think we should get on with it.”

In his brief remarks to reporters, Netanyahu praised Biden, calling him a proud Irish-American Zionist, and thanked him for his 50 years of support for the State of Israel.

The Israeli leader remains under pressure at home over his handling of the war with Hamas, which has claimed the lives of nearly 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.

The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been raging since the Palestinian militant group massacred more than 1,000 Israelis on October 7.

According to CNN, Biden is expected to be forceful in his closed-door talks with Netanyahu and urge him to accept a ceasefire deal with Hamas.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Biden was using the meeting to reiterate his calls for a swift resolution between Israel and Hamas.

In his fiery speech to Congress, Netanyahu warned that “America will be next” if the United States does not support Israel against the Iran-led “axis of terrorism” in the Middle East.

“The gap can be closed. But it will require, as always, some leadership and some compromise,” Kirby said.

In his speech, Netanyahu pushed back against the harsh international criticism his country has faced since the start of the war with Hamas.

The Israeli prime minister has pledged to achieve a “total victory” over Hamas and denounced American opponents of the Gaza war as “Iran’s useful idiots.”

“America and Israel must remain united,” Netanyahu fiercely asserted.

“When we are united, something very simple happens. We win, they lose.

“Our enemies are your enemies, and our fight is your fight. Our victory will be your victory.”

Dozens of members of Congress have chosen to boycott Netanyahu’s visit to the US Capitol, including presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris.

Harris skipped the Israeli leader’s speech to Congress and instead traveled to Texas for a campaign stop at a sorority house.

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