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As the ongoing violence between Israel and Hamas continues, Texas Rep. Micheal McCaul (R Austin) speaks out on supporting Israel's plan for continued self-defense against the militant group.
Contrary to the push for a cease-fire by many, McCaul believes the U.S. should stand by Israel as an ally by aiding in the fight against the continued airstrikes.
"We need to show strength, not weakness when it comes to our alliance with Israel. Hamas’ rocket attacks are acts of terror and we must send a strong message that Hamas must stop firing rockets," he said in a Tweet.
Despite the U.S.'s aggressive tone for a cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he vows to move forward with his country's military offense in the Gaza Strip until his "aim is met," according to a statement published by NPR.
Simultaneously, some democrats led by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, are pushing to halt a "$735 million arms sale to Israel," according to a statement provided by The Hill. The Biden administration previously approved the sale on May 5, and is under scrutiny for the continued displacement, injury and deaths such weapons would create.
"At a time when so many, including President Biden, support a ceasefire, we should not be sending ‘direct attack’ weaponry to Prime Minister Netanyahu to prolong this violence," Ocasio-Cortez said in a statement.
At least 200 Palestinians and about a dozen Israelis have been killed since the start of the fighting. Presently, there has been no decrease in the conflict, even as the world continues to clamor for a ceasefire.
The fighting between the two groups began after Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem in retaliation after "days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, a flashpoint site sacred to Jews and Muslims," as stated by Yahoo News.