Representative Joaquin Castro (D-TX) said Thursday on CNN’s “Newsroom” that President Joe Biden should call for a ceasefire because Israel is committing war crimes by “intentionally starving” civilians in Gaza.
Castro said, “I believe that Hamas had committed war crimes on October 7. I think it’s become very clear that Israel has now committed war crimes. They are intentionally starving people, and there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who are starving. So, the president should absolutely call for a ceasefire tonight. The United States and the president and the Congress are either going to stand up for human rights. What the United States professes to believe in. And we do, or we’re going to stand down and do nothing and let these people starve. This kind of unconscionable act is not in the interest of the United States, of Israel, or obviously of the Palestinians. And so I hope that the president will call for a ceasefire and will push back as hard as he can on Benjamin Netanyahu.
Anchor Jim Acosta said, “Congressman, I mean, I have to tell you, the Israelis are going to say that war crimes were committed on October 7.”
Castro said, “I agree, I think having watched the footage when the Israeli embassy presented the footage, here in Congress, I went and watched it. I think that that is true. And I think, for example, the kidnaping of children is a war crime. But the starvation of children and the suffering that has gone on because of it. And, you know, by now, 20,000 or so, women and children are at war who have perished. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is committing war crimes right now, and we have to face that.”
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