Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Gives Biden Demands After Seeing Hamas Footage

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Democrats have given President Joe Biden new demands regarding the Israel-Hamas war a day after viewing footage of Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel.

Ocasio-Cortez is leading a group of 24 Democratic representatives who are urging Biden in a letter to call for a "bilateral ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas, citing their concerns about "violations against children."

The letter follows reports that Ocasio-Cortez was among about 100 members of Congress who watched a 45-minute video showing the Hamas attack. The Tuesday viewing was organized by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The footage left the lawmakers very distressed, with some in tears, according to Jewish Insider. Photographs taken after the viewing show Ocasio-Cortez consoling a colleague.

The letter to Biden reads: "We write to you to express deep concern about the intensifying war in Gaza, particularly grave violations against children, and our fear that without an immediate cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a robust bilateral ceasefire, this war will lead to a further loss of civilian life and risk dragging the United States into dangerous and unwise conflict with armed groups across the Middle East."

Newsweek reached out via email to the White House and Ocasio-Cortez's New York office for comment.

Calls for a ceasefire have divided Democrats in Congress. Progressives say a ceasefire is necessary to prevent further loss of civilian lives and have raised concerns about the death toll among Palestinian civilians in Gaza since Israel began airstrikes. According to the Associated Press, 11,000 people in Gaza and over 1,200 in Israel have been killed since Hamas' October 7 attack.

Other Democrats say that a ceasefire would embolden Hamas and that Israel has the right to respond to the attack and defend itself. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to eliminate Hamas, and many U.S. lawmakers from both political parties have expressed strong support for Israel's actions. Biden has also voiced support for Israel but has asked for military restraint on its part to relieve civilians' suffering in Gaza.

In their letter Biden, Ocasio-Cortez and the 23 other Democrats expressed concerns about humanitarian conditions in Gaza, noting that half of the territory's civilian population consists of children.

"We are profoundly shocked by the grave violations of children's rights in the context of armed conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the letter says.

It continues: "International norms require that all parties to an armed conflict protect children and prevent the commission of grave violations against them, including killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, recruitment and use of children, abduction of children, and denial of humanitarian access."

Among those who signed the letter was Democratic Representative Greg Casar of Texas, who has called for a ceasefire and viewed the footage of Hamas' attack with Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday.

Biden has faced pressure from progressives, including protests, to support a ceasefire. He has stopped short of doing so, saying he instead supports humanitarian pauses in the fighting so citizens can flee. He also has announced humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

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