Dem Rep. Auchincloss on Biden Pushing Israel for Ceasefire: ‘The Onus Should Not Be on Israel’ 

On Tuesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Way Too Early,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) responded to the push from the Biden-Harris administration for a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Middle East by stating that “the onus should not be on Israel. The onus and pressure should be on Hamas.” And “violence has spiraled throughout the region because Israel is unwilling to live with terrorists to its south, to its north, to its east who murder, who take hostages, and who use rape as a tool of war.”

Host and POLITICO White House Bureau Chief Jonathan Lemire asked, “Secretary of State Antony Blinken just arrived this morning, and we just showed footage, he’s wheels down in Israel a short time ago. The Biden administration is hopeful that the death of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, could provide an opening for a ceasefire and hostage release deal. But Prime Minister Netanyahu, at least to this point, does not seem inclined to end the hostilities. What are your hopes here from this visit and these last few months of the Biden administration, which has so desperately pressed for this agreement?”

Auchincloss responded, “Well, the onus should not be on Israel. The onus and pressure should be on Hamas. Hamas is the entity that took hostages on October 7, after murdering 1,200 innocent civilians. And violence has spiraled throughout the region because Israel is unwilling to live with terrorists to its south, to its north, to its east who murder, who take hostages, and who use rape as a tool of war. But in the same way that violence has spiraled throughout the region, peace could spiral throughout the region if Hamas’ new leadership would simply and unconditionally release these hostages from the terror tunnels in which they have been held for the last year.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett