Biden Tries to Appease Swing-state Muslims by Calling for ‘Pause’ in Gaza as Hamas Retreats

President Joe Biden called for a humanitarian “pause” in the Israel-Hamas war as the IDF mounts a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

The president made his comments on Wednesday evening when a protester interrupted his campaign speech by calling for a ceasefire.

“I think we need a pause,” Biden said.

The president had been speaking to a crowd of supporters in Minneapolis about what motivated him to run for president when a woman interrupted him by shouting for a ceasefire.

Others in the crowd shouted the woman down, which prompted Biden to say that he understood her emotions. He emphasized that his call for a pause in the war meant allowing “time to get the prisoners out.” Over 1,000 demonstrators were protesting nearby with signs that read, “Stop Bombing Children,” “Free Palestine,” and “Ceasefire now.”

“This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis,” Biden said. “It’s incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well. … I supported a two-state solution, I have from the very beginning.”

“The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist organization. A flat-out terrorist organization,” he added.

The White House later clarified that the president’s call for a “pause” meant for humanitarian reasons.

As noted by the Associated Press, the president has “faced intensifying pressure from human rights groups, fellow world leaders and even liberal members of his own Democratic Party, who say that the Israeli bombardment of Gaza is collective punishment and that it is time for a cease-fire.”

“In his comments, Biden was exerting pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to give Palestinians at least a brief reprieve from the relentless military operation that’s left thousands dead and mired the 141-square-mile strip in a roiling humanitarian crisis,” the outlet noted.

Paul Roland Bois directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on YouTube or Tubi. A high-quality, ad-free stream can also be purchased on Google Play or Vimeo on Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms.