WEBVTT

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The purpose of this hearing is to

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discuss Hamas's unprovoked and brutal

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attack on Israel and Israel's response

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to the attack . The witnesses will

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discuss the circumstances surrounding

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this brutal attack and Israel's

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response us support to Israel and the

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potential for broader regional conflict

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and terrorist attacks against us

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interests . I now recognize myself for

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an opening statement on Saturday .

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October 7th , Israelis woke to rockets

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raining down on them from Gaza and

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Hamas terrorists breaking down their

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doors . They were invaded in their

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homes brutally murdering over 1400

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people including over 30 Americans .

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Hamas terrorists killed babies and

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toddlers . They killed grandmothers and

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grandfathers , moms and dads , teenage

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kids in their home . No one was spared

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innocent civilians slaughtered because

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of their ancestry and their faith . At

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least 241 people were taken hostage by

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Hamas terrorists and are still being

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held in Gaza . And one of the most

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horrific stories to emerge . A pregnant

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woman had her baby cut out of her and

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murdered in front of her before they

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shot her in the head . October 7th was

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the deadliest day for the Jewish people

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since the Holocaust . I was in one of

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the kibbutzes right on the border of

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Gaza . Last year , meeting with members

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of the community , I saw their daycare

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center and the Children that very same

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kibbutz was overrun by 70 Hamas

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terrorists . Many of the residents I

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met were slaughtered but most viciously ,

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the babies and Children I visited in

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the daycare center were slaughtered ,

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shot to death , beheaded and even

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burned alive . Just yesterday , this

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committee unanimously passed a

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resolution demanding that Hamas release

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the hostages . The house also held a

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bipartisan vigil on the Capitol steps

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marking one month since October 7th

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massacre , what the world has seen at

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the bloody hands of Hamas is simply

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unfathomable . The depravity of these

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terrorists knows no bounds . But let me

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be clear about one thing . All roads

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lead to Iran . Their fingerprints are

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all over this attack . They have

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consistently funded Hamas and other

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Palestinian terrorist groups to the

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tune of $100 million per year . We are

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witnessing in real time . Hamas carry

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out their covenant from 1988 which

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states quote Israel will exist and will

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continue to exist until Islam will

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obliterate it just as it obliterated

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others before it . And now it's not

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just Hamas Hezbollah is launching near

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daily attacks on northern Israel . The

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Houthis have launched multiple attacks

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against Israel and Iran's proxies in

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Iraq and Syria have launched at least

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41 attacks on us troops since October

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the seventh . Simply put the Middle

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East is on fire . I'm grateful to the

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Assistant Secretary la and Deputy

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Assistant Secretary of Defense Stroll

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for appearing before us here today .

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It's critical that we discuss this

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dangerous urgent situation . And the

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administration's response , I've often

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spoke , spoke about the importance of

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deterrence . The administration is

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positioning major defense assets in the

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Middle East . They include two carrier

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strike groups , an Ohio class nuclear

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submarine , air defense batteries , us ,

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air force fighter jets and additional

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us servicemen and women . We are

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also expediting significant arms

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transfers to Israel so they can defend

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themselves in every front that is

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needed . However , deterrence is not

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only show of strength , it's not the

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only show of strength but the will to

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use it weakness only invites aggression .

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It is imperative that we continue to

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project strength and stand united with

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Israel . Now more than ever , the world

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is in need of American leadership and

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we need it now and I'd like to thank

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the witnesses for being here today . Uh

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With that , I'd like to recognize my

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dear friend , the ranking member , Mr

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Meeks . Thank you , Mr Chairman . Let

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me begin by thanking both of you

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personally , Ambassador Leaf and

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Assistant Secretary Stroll uh as well

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as your teams at the state and defense

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departments . We not only recognize the

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excellent work you are doing , but we

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also know how hard it is at the human

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level to deal with such a crisis

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as we hold this hearing , Israel is at

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war with Hamas . A designated terrorist

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organization following the worst attack

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on the Jewish people since the

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holocaust , what we've seen unfold on

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our TV S and in our newspapers over the

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last four weeks has been an

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extraordinarily painful . It has been

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extraordinarily painful to watch .

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Hamas terrorists killed more than 1400

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innocent civilians , women , men ,

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Children , elderlies and babies in

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cold blood . Following this .

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Hamas has used thousands of

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Palestinians including far too many

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Children as human shields .

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These images of death and destruction

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in Gaza . If you're human , they have

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to haunt you . I know it haunts me

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and I will never shake them .

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Hamas has made it clear to all of us

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watching that they do not exist to

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serve the Palestinian people . Hamas

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does not want peace . Hamas

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doesn't want a Palestinian state living

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side by side with a Jewish state .

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There was a cease fire on October the

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sixth and it was Hamas

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who broke it in the most terrible way

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possible . It is Hamas

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whose holding some of the Palestinian

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people from getting to the South and

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other safe places . And so I applaud

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the Biden administration for working to

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address the humanitarian catastrophe in

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Gaza brought on by Hamas

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and their war . You know , Hamas can

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end this today . Just surrender

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and nobody else gets killed , just

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surrender .

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The United States has provided an

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initial contribution of $100 million .

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It will be and we'll be providing more

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upon passage of a comprehensive

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supplemental Bill . We are calling

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for humanitarian pauses

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which would allow humanitarian goods to

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enter and for civilians to get out of

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harm's way . And we continue to support

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the establishment of safe zones where

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Gazans can seek shelter . We have

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helped facilitate the movement of life

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saving supplies into Gaza through Egypt

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and are working to increase these

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deliveries . Ambassador Leaf . I hope

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you can share with us some additional

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details about the administration's work

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to support Gaza civilians . Despite the

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extraordinary challenging conditions ,

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I had hoped also that our body would

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have taken the matter of funding for

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Israel and the humanitarian crisis

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unfolding around the world in Gaza with

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the same seriousness as the

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administration has quite frankly . But

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unfortunately , I don't believe we have

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instead uh with the new speaker ,

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Speaker Johnson uh and his leadership

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seems to me that last week , we played

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some politics with our national

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security support for funding for Israel

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time and again has been a bipartisan

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manner that Congress has kept out of

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politics and we have given Israel aid

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without any conditions . It is

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unfortunate that at this critical time

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that has changed . Speaker Johnson

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brought an Israel only supplemental to

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the floor . This supplemental is

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unprecedented . It conditions aid to

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Israel on domestic policy objective

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and stands no chance of passing through

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the United States Senate . The United

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States has an indispensable role to

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play in the world . And I hope for

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Israel and our own sake that

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we don't play politics and don't play

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political games . We must pass a

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comprehensive supplemental for Israel .

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It's also interconnected with what we

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have to do in Ukraine and to connect

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with what we have to do for Taiwan .

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And I would also include our southern

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border as soon as possible . These

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issues are connected and should be free

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of politics . They are about our

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national security and America's

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leadership globally . So I want to

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conclude by raising an issue that the

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United States , Israel and other

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regional partners must address . What

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does a successful ground operation in

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Gaza look like and who will administer

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the Gaza script ? If Israel's efforts

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to remove Hamas is successful , so I'm

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gonna be raising those questions . So

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in the days , weeks and months ahead ,

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I know the United States will continue

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to stand steadfastly with Israel to

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assure its long term security . We will

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also , as President Biden has outlined ,

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remain committed to ensuring that

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civilians in Gaza have safe acce have

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access to safe areas and continue to

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have access to food , water , medical

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care and other assistance without

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diversions by Hamas . We must also stay

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keenly focused on working to get us

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citizens and their immediate family

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members to exit Gaza safely and bring

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all of our hostages home . So let me

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end by just saying , thank you once

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again to our witnesses for being here

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and I look forward to hearing from you

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in a short while I yield back .

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Gentleman yields . Um And let me just

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say , iii , I too agree . We need to

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move swiftly on a national security aid

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package that it both addresses the

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threat from Russia to Ukraine and

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Europe . The threat from communist

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China to Taiwan in the Pacific and the

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threat from the Ayatollah in Iran to

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Israel by its proxies in the southwest

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border , which is the last line of

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defense to stop these threats from

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coming in . Um You know , I , I

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find it amazing the extent

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to which Russia and Iran have lined up

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against Israel in this um epic struggle .

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Uh We're pleased to have a

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distinguished panel of witnesses before

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us here today on this important topic .

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Uh The honorable Barbara Leaf ,

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Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of

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Near Eastern Affairs at the Department

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of State , uh MS Dana Stroll , the

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Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense

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for the Middle East at the Department

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of Defense . Uh This committee

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recognizes the importance of the issues

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before us and we're very grateful to

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have both state and dod here at the

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same time . Uh to speak with us here

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today , your full statements will be

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more be made part of the record . Um

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And I look forward to your testimony .

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I now recognize Assistant Secretary

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Leaf for her opening statement .

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Sorry , Chairman mccall ranking member ,

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Meeks . Thank you for inviting me to

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testify today on this important set of

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issues while I'm here about Gaza . I

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want to underscore the urgency of the

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president's full supplemental

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assistance requests including $3.5

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billion in FMF for Israel $200 million

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in State department , operational funds

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to meet the needs of embassy security

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and us citizen services in this crisis

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and $10 billion in global humanitarian

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assistance . I returned Monday from the

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region from two weeks in the region . I

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joined Secretary Lincoln for meetings

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with our Israeli and Arab partners

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aimed at demonstrating support for

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Israel's self defense , consistent with

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international humanitarian law ,

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preventing the conflict from spreading ,

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securing release of hamas' hostages

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including American citizens and

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addressing the humanitarian crisis in

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Gaza . The secretary urged Israeli

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leaders to work humanitarian pauses

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into their campaign to allow more

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critical aid into Gaza to enable

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civilians to access aid and move to

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safer locations and to further the

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release of hostages . He also

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underscored the US commitment to a

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negotiated two state solution as the

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only way to achieve a just durable

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resolution to the Israeli Palestinian

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conflict . We met regional partners who

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like us see Iran and its proxies

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working to exploit this crisis . We

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made clear that we will not stand by

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idly if others join or escalate the

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conflict . The October 7th Hamas

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terrorist attack was the worst attack

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on Israel since the 1973 Yom Kippur war .

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But no prior conflict targeted Israeli

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civilians to this extent . Many said

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terrorist , the terrorist attack evoked

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the trauma of the holocaust how Israel

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conducts this war matters deeply . The

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US stands unequivocally for the

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protection of civilian lives during

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conflict . We mourn the thousands of

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Palestinian civilians killed

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Palestinians must not suffer the

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consequences for Hamas's terrorist acts .

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As the secretary said in Israel , there

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will be no partners for peace if

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they're consumed by humanitarian

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catastrophe and alienated by any

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perceived indifference to their plight

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in support of us citizens . The

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department has had a task force

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operating 24 7 to coordinate us

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government efforts since October 7th to

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protect them and our diplomatic

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personnel and facilities . Over 14,000

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U US citizens and family members have

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departed Israel , the West Bank and

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Gaza since October 7th , some 1500

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departures were directly facilitated by

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the US government . Since November 1st ,

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more than 400 US citizens , legal

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permanent residents and family members

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have exited Gaza via the Rafah Crossing .

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Nearly all of our locally employed

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staff and their families have departed

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as well . There are about 700 US

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citizens , legal permanent residents

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and family members in Gaza requesting

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assistance to depart and we're making

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every effort to enable their departure .

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Skewing the release of us nationals

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taken hostage by Hamas is an overriding

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priority and we appreciate Qatar's and

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Egypt's forthright and tireless

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assistance . The secretary has also

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instructed our special presidential

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envoy for hostage affairs , Roger

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Carstens to do everything possible to

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support these efforts . He has the full

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backing of our embassies in Cairo

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Jerusalem and Doha to prevent a wider

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conflict . Our message is clear , Iran

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and its proxies should stay out of the

15:50.593 --> 15:52.770
conflict . Secretary Lincoln discussed

15:52.780 --> 15:54.947
with Palestinian Authority , President

15:54.947 --> 15:57.058
Mahmoud Abbas , the critical role the

15:57.058 --> 15:59.169
Palestinian Authority security forces

15:59.169 --> 16:01.224
play in preventing conflict in areas

16:01.224 --> 16:03.391
under their control in the West Bank .

16:03.391 --> 16:05.391
And we've seen serious work in that

16:05.391 --> 16:07.502
direction . We have also urged Israel

16:07.502 --> 16:09.613
to uphold the rule of law and rein in

16:09.613 --> 16:11.558
extremist settler violence against

16:11.558 --> 16:13.613
Palestinians in the West Bank . This

16:13.613 --> 16:16.010
violence inflamed an explosive security

16:16.020 --> 16:18.840
environment . President Biden appointed

16:18.849 --> 16:20.960
Ambassador David Satterfield , one of

16:20.960 --> 16:23.071
our most seasoned career diplomats to

16:23.071 --> 16:25.405
address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza .

16:25.405 --> 16:27.760
As a result of us , leadership , Rafa

16:27.770 --> 16:30.840
is open and over 560 truckloads of life

16:30.849 --> 16:32.849
saving supplies have entered Gaza .

16:33.489 --> 16:35.600
They're hardly sufficient but it is a

16:35.600 --> 16:37.750
work in progress . We've urged Israel

16:37.760 --> 16:39.816
to restore access to electricity and

16:39.816 --> 16:41.871
water and allow sufficient levels of

16:41.871 --> 16:44.093
fuel for desalination , distribution of

16:44.093 --> 16:45.871
humanitarian goods , wastewater

16:45.871 --> 16:47.849
treatment , medical care and basic

16:47.859 --> 16:50.929
activities for civilians . Our partners

16:50.940 --> 16:53.669
are scrutinizing our response as are

16:53.679 --> 16:56.359
our strategic competitors after years

16:56.369 --> 16:58.480
of false narratives , claiming the US

16:58.480 --> 17:00.369
is abandoning the region . We are

17:00.369 --> 17:02.480
demonstrating but we stand resolutely

17:02.480 --> 17:04.647
by our ally and our partners as others

17:04.647 --> 17:06.647
offer ho hollow statements . The US

17:06.647 --> 17:09.219
conducts hard nosed diplomacy , finding

17:09.229 --> 17:11.609
solutions . But we must be clear out

17:11.619 --> 17:13.959
about what lies ahead . The secretary

17:13.969 --> 17:16.080
heard from our regional partners that

17:16.080 --> 17:17.969
their imperative is the immediate

17:17.969 --> 17:20.080
protection of Palestinian civilians .

17:20.080 --> 17:21.969
Thus , the unstinting calls for a

17:29.540 --> 17:32.479
solution and they want us leadership .

17:33.250 --> 17:35.417
I close by thanking this committee for

17:35.417 --> 17:37.361
your continued support . The Biden

17:37.361 --> 17:39.472
administration is poised to work with

17:39.472 --> 17:41.306
you to hold Hamas accountable to

17:41.306 --> 17:43.528
prevent the widening of the conflict to

17:43.528 --> 17:45.750
protect civilians . We cannot return to

17:45.750 --> 17:47.917
the environment before October 7th for

17:47.917 --> 17:50.028
either Israel or the Palestinians . I

17:50.028 --> 17:51.861
look forward to your questions .

17:53.849 --> 17:56.209
Recognized Deputy Assistant Secretary

17:56.390 --> 17:58.334
Stroll for her opening statement ,

17:59.359 --> 18:01.303
Chairman mccall , ranking member ,

18:01.303 --> 18:03.359
Meeks , distinguished members of the

18:03.359 --> 18:05.470
committee . Thank you for inviting me

18:05.470 --> 18:07.637
to testify today . Alongside assistant

18:07.637 --> 18:09.415
secretary leaf the department's

18:09.415 --> 18:11.581
commitment to Israel's right to defend

18:11.581 --> 18:13.979
itself from terrorism . Is ironclad .

18:14.280 --> 18:17.339
We mourn the Israelis Americans and

18:17.349 --> 18:19.516
citizens of countries around the world

18:19.516 --> 18:21.627
who were murdered by Hamas on October

18:21.627 --> 18:24.229
7th . We also mourn the thousands of

18:24.239 --> 18:26.599
Palestinian civilians who have died

18:26.609 --> 18:29.010
during this conflict . The Department

18:29.020 --> 18:31.109
of Defense has organized our efforts

18:31.119 --> 18:34.010
along the following lines . First ,

18:34.020 --> 18:36.290
protecting American forces and

18:36.300 --> 18:38.890
interests in the region . Second ,

18:38.900 --> 18:40.900
supporting Israel's right to defend

18:40.900 --> 18:43.067
itself , consistent with international

18:43.067 --> 18:46.239
humanitarian law . Third , coordinating

18:46.250 --> 18:48.619
closely with Israel on hostage recovery

18:48.630 --> 18:51.329
efforts and fourth containing the

18:51.339 --> 18:53.910
conflict to Gaza . The volume of

18:53.920 --> 18:56.439
disinformation and misinformation ,

18:56.449 --> 18:58.530
perpetuating false narratives about

18:58.540 --> 19:01.500
this conflict is deeply troubling the

19:01.510 --> 19:03.689
Department of State designated Hamas ,

19:03.699 --> 19:05.819
a foreign terrorist organization in

19:05.829 --> 19:09.329
1997 Hamas is responsible for the

19:09.339 --> 19:11.560
abhorrent terrorist attack in Israel

19:11.569 --> 19:13.660
and Israel is executing military

19:13.670 --> 19:16.449
operations to ensure that Hamas is

19:16.459 --> 19:19.069
never again able to perpetuate a

19:19.079 --> 19:21.420
terrorist attack like it did in October

19:22.469 --> 19:24.800
Hamas is using civilians as human

19:24.810 --> 19:27.209
shields , blocking the delivery of

19:27.219 --> 19:29.410
humanitarian aid . And while having

19:29.420 --> 19:32.040
released four hostages continues to

19:32.050 --> 19:35.530
hold at least 200 civilians including

19:35.540 --> 19:38.900
Americans . Palestinian civilians are

19:38.910 --> 19:41.410
not , terrorists must have immediate

19:41.420 --> 19:43.969
access to life saving humanitarian aid

19:43.979 --> 19:46.489
and deserve to live in peace , security

19:46.500 --> 19:48.611
and dignity in a state of their own .

19:49.369 --> 19:51.319
As the Department of Defense works

19:51.329 --> 19:53.273
along the four lines of effort . I

19:53.273 --> 19:55.719
articulated . Iran backed militia

19:55.729 --> 19:58.750
groups are attacking us forces since

19:58.760 --> 20:01.439
October 17th . US . Bases and

20:01.449 --> 20:03.869
facilities in Iraq and Syria have been

20:03.880 --> 20:07.500
attacked 41 times on October

20:07.510 --> 20:10.250
26th . At President Biden's direction ,

20:10.510 --> 20:13.050
us forces conducted precision self

20:13.060 --> 20:14.893
defense strikes on facilities in

20:14.893 --> 20:17.569
eastern Syria used and operated by

20:17.579 --> 20:19.609
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard

20:19.619 --> 20:22.969
Corps I RGC and its affiliates . We

20:22.979 --> 20:25.160
will not hesitate to take further

20:25.170 --> 20:27.089
necessary measures to protect our

20:27.099 --> 20:30.709
people to underscore in response to a

20:30.719 --> 20:32.930
pattern of Iranian and Iran backed

20:32.939 --> 20:35.189
attacks against us personnel and

20:35.199 --> 20:37.920
facilities in Iraq and Syria and the

20:37.930 --> 20:40.119
continuing threat of future such

20:40.130 --> 20:43.380
attacks the United States has taken and

20:43.390 --> 20:45.839
as necessary will continue to take

20:45.849 --> 20:48.959
military action against the I RGC and

20:48.969 --> 20:51.530
its affiliates . This includes the use

20:51.540 --> 20:54.500
of force against I RGC and I RGC

20:54.510 --> 20:56.677
affiliated personnel and facilities in

20:56.677 --> 20:58.399
the US central command area of

20:58.399 --> 21:00.810
responsibility with the intention to

21:00.819 --> 21:03.250
convince the Iranians to de escalate

21:03.260 --> 21:05.489
threats against the United States , our

21:05.500 --> 21:09.310
interests and our people . Current US

21:09.319 --> 21:10.986
posture in the Middle East is

21:10.986 --> 21:13.660
significant and dod has demonstrated

21:13.670 --> 21:15.699
its ability to rapidly project

21:15.709 --> 21:17.800
additional power into the theater .

21:18.319 --> 21:20.390
Since October 7th , we have deployed

21:20.400 --> 21:22.250
Thad and Patriot missile defense

21:22.260 --> 21:24.939
systems , additional fighter squadrons ,

21:24.949 --> 21:27.489
two carrier strike groups and an Ohio

21:27.500 --> 21:29.800
class nuclear powered guided missile

21:29.810 --> 21:32.910
submarine . We also placed over 2000

21:32.920 --> 21:35.250
personnel and a range of units on a

21:35.260 --> 21:37.482
heightened state of readiness . Some of

21:37.482 --> 21:40.170
which subsequently deployed . These

21:40.180 --> 21:42.410
deployments demonstrate our commitment

21:42.420 --> 21:44.449
to Israel's security to regional

21:44.459 --> 21:47.119
stability and to deterring those who

21:47.130 --> 21:50.069
seek to widen this conflict . It also

21:50.079 --> 21:52.135
bolsters the department's ability to

21:52.135 --> 21:53.912
respond quickly to the evolving

21:53.912 --> 21:56.439
security environment . With respect to

21:56.449 --> 21:58.393
supporting Israel . We are working

21:58.393 --> 22:00.890
around the clock to determine which

22:00.900 --> 22:02.789
munitions and equipment from us .

22:02.789 --> 22:05.599
Inventory can quickly be made available .

22:05.849 --> 22:08.569
Air defense is a high priority as our

22:08.579 --> 22:10.359
medical supplies , artillery ,

22:10.369 --> 22:12.147
ammunition and precision guided

22:12.147 --> 22:14.540
munitions deliveries are taking place

22:14.550 --> 22:18.430
on a near daily basis with respect to

22:18.439 --> 22:20.661
supporting the release of hostages held

22:20.661 --> 22:22.750
by Hamas . The department sent us

22:22.760 --> 22:25.109
military personnel to Israel to provide

22:25.119 --> 22:27.719
advice and intelligence support . We

22:27.729 --> 22:31.000
are also conducting unarmed UAV flights

22:31.010 --> 22:33.910
over Gaza only to support hostage

22:33.920 --> 22:36.859
recovery . Finally , the Department of

22:36.869 --> 22:38.758
Defense is acutely focused on the

22:38.758 --> 22:40.819
importance of obligations related to

22:40.829 --> 22:43.359
civilian protection under the law of

22:43.369 --> 22:46.099
war . All parties to armed conflict

22:46.109 --> 22:48.000
must comply with rules for the

22:48.010 --> 22:51.239
protection of civilians in this war .

22:51.250 --> 22:53.417
Protecting and supporting civilians is

22:53.417 --> 22:55.329
difficult for a range of reasons

22:55.339 --> 22:57.561
including the fact that it is happening

22:57.561 --> 22:59.172
in a densely populated urban

22:59.172 --> 23:01.410
environment that Hamas is using

23:01.420 --> 23:03.420
civilians as human shields . And

23:03.430 --> 23:05.263
because Hamas placed rockets and

23:05.263 --> 23:07.839
weapons in civilian areas while digging

23:07.849 --> 23:09.793
terror tunnels underneath civilian

23:09.793 --> 23:12.016
infrastructure and protected sites like

23:12.016 --> 23:14.400
schools and hospitals . We make clear

23:14.410 --> 23:16.410
to Israel every day that efforts to

23:16.410 --> 23:18.699
mitigate and respond to civilian harm

23:18.709 --> 23:20.689
are both a moral and strategic

23:20.699 --> 23:22.890
imperative . As the Secretary of

23:22.900 --> 23:25.122
Civilian Harm , mitigation and response

23:25.122 --> 23:27.449
action plan , states hard earned

23:27.459 --> 23:30.550
tactical and operational successes may

23:30.560 --> 23:33.079
ultimately end in strategic failure .

23:33.089 --> 23:35.349
If care is not taken to protect the

23:35.359 --> 23:37.359
civilian environment as much as the

23:37.359 --> 23:39.420
situation allows , that is precisely

23:39.430 --> 23:41.763
what the Department of Defense is doing .

23:41.763 --> 23:43.874
Thank you . Thank you , Secretary . I

23:43.874 --> 23:46.270
now recognize myself um to start out

23:46.280 --> 23:48.113
just so I have a , a situational

23:48.113 --> 23:50.224
awareness of what is happening on the

23:50.224 --> 23:52.630
ground in Gaza . My uh according to my

23:52.640 --> 23:55.619
briefings , um the ID F that is the

23:55.630 --> 23:58.780
Israeli military forces are beginning

23:58.790 --> 24:02.510
to circle Gaza City uh in a very slow

24:02.520 --> 24:05.520
and , and um determined effort to

24:05.530 --> 24:08.489
eventually bring uh Hamas out of the

24:08.500 --> 24:11.900
tunnels . Um And that a barrier or a

24:11.910 --> 24:15.479
blocking position is being built in

24:15.489 --> 24:17.910
the center of Gaza , a very narrow

24:17.920 --> 24:20.229
strip to then eventually turn southern

24:20.239 --> 24:23.449
Gaza into humanitarian zone . Uh The

24:23.459 --> 24:26.290
Rafah Gate is open about 100 trucks are

24:26.300 --> 24:29.119
going in with food , water and medicine

24:29.369 --> 24:31.790
and Israel's providing the fuel because

24:31.800 --> 24:34.209
the fuel can be used by Hamas to light

24:34.219 --> 24:36.330
up their tunnels . We don't want them

24:36.330 --> 24:38.330
to do that . We want the fuel to be

24:38.330 --> 24:40.552
used for the hospitals . Is that a fair

24:40.552 --> 24:41.997
and accurate assessment ?

24:46.760 --> 24:49.060
Let me start with how the IDF has

24:49.069 --> 24:51.430
announced the current status of its

24:51.439 --> 24:53.880
operations . It has announced that its

24:53.890 --> 24:56.680
forces have circled Gaza City with the

24:56.689 --> 24:59.599
goal of eliminating hamas' military

24:59.609 --> 25:01.979
infrastructure in the city . The IDF

25:01.989 --> 25:04.660
has also so announced its intentions to

25:04.670 --> 25:07.060
create a humanitarian corridor for the

25:07.069 --> 25:08.939
safe evacuation of Palestinian

25:08.949 --> 25:11.099
civilians from northern Gaza to

25:11.109 --> 25:13.459
southern Gaza . There have also been

25:13.469 --> 25:16.099
plenty of reports about Hamas blocking

25:16.229 --> 25:19.739
the safe evacuation of civilians . Uh

25:19.829 --> 25:22.069
Chairman mccall on uh there are a

25:22.079 --> 25:24.530
couple of refinements , I'll offer to

25:24.540 --> 25:27.829
um to your comments about Rafa and

25:27.839 --> 25:30.709
trucks and fuel . So I I cannot stress

25:30.719 --> 25:32.497
how extraordinarily complex the

25:32.497 --> 25:35.079
operating environment is in that area

25:35.089 --> 25:37.439
of , of , of Rafah Gate . There is what

25:37.449 --> 25:39.560
they call the de facto authority , Ie

25:39.560 --> 25:41.671
Hamas on the other side , it's been a

25:41.671 --> 25:44.439
conflict zone at various points . Um We

25:44.449 --> 25:47.030
have uh through uh Ambassador

25:47.040 --> 25:49.096
Satterfield and his team through the

25:49.096 --> 25:51.339
efforts of our uh mission in Cairo

25:51.349 --> 25:53.571
Jerusalem . And then of course , people

25:53.571 --> 25:55.682
back here making calls have been in a

25:55.682 --> 25:57.682
strenuous effort to keep Rafah Gate

25:57.682 --> 25:59.979
open . But the Egyptians have had uh a

25:59.989 --> 26:03.300
recognizably high degree of concern

26:03.310 --> 26:05.800
about insecurity there given the

26:05.810 --> 26:07.977
parlous conditions on the other side .

26:07.977 --> 26:10.088
So it's been an open and closing sort

26:10.088 --> 26:12.366
of scene . They've had quite a history ,

26:12.366 --> 26:16.020
Egypt turn uh Secretary Stroll

26:16.030 --> 26:19.390
to um these attacks on our soldiers and

26:19.400 --> 26:22.099
our troops in Syria and Iraq . Um , and

26:22.109 --> 26:24.276
I applaud the administration's support

26:24.276 --> 26:26.800
for Israel and also the Force Posture

26:26.810 --> 26:28.977
with the carrier strike groups and the

26:28.977 --> 26:32.219
nuclear submarine . Um , I am concerned

26:32.229 --> 26:34.396
that it took a while to respond though

26:34.396 --> 26:37.939
there have been 19 attacks . Uh ,

26:38.890 --> 26:40.946
there's only one response and it was

26:40.946 --> 26:43.057
after 19 attacks , I should say so it

26:43.060 --> 26:45.171
took us , we had to wait until almost

26:45.171 --> 26:47.400
20 attacks took place before we even

26:47.410 --> 26:49.299
came in to respond to protect our

26:49.299 --> 26:51.729
troops there . And since that time ,

26:51.739 --> 26:54.849
there have been 20 more attacks . What

26:54.859 --> 26:57.290
are we doing to protect our troops in

26:57.300 --> 26:59.800
the region ? Thank you for that

26:59.810 --> 27:02.329
question , Mr Chairman . First of all ,

27:02.339 --> 27:05.300
us , military strikes are not the only

27:05.310 --> 27:07.143
effort that the US government is

27:07.143 --> 27:09.254
putting forward both to deter further

27:09.254 --> 27:11.477
attacks and address the current attacks

27:11.477 --> 27:13.880
against us . That is why we increased

27:13.890 --> 27:16.680
posture and message very loudly about

27:16.689 --> 27:19.099
the capabilities that the US military

27:19.109 --> 27:21.420
has projected into the region in less

27:21.430 --> 27:23.486
than one month . Number two , we are

27:23.489 --> 27:25.545
working in full partnership with the

27:25.545 --> 27:27.619
state department diplomatically uh

27:27.800 --> 27:29.967
through every possible channel to pass

27:29.967 --> 27:33.020
messages about our desire not to see

27:33.030 --> 27:35.819
regional conflict to de escalate that

27:35.829 --> 27:38.051
we are focused on supporting Israel but

27:38.051 --> 27:40.329
do not seek either state or non state

27:40.339 --> 27:43.219
actors to widen this conflict . And we

27:43.229 --> 27:45.340
have made it explicit to our partners

27:45.340 --> 27:47.507
who can pass messages to state and non

27:47.507 --> 27:50.390
state actors . Thank you , III I and I

27:50.400 --> 27:52.511
agree , deterrence is going to be the

27:52.511 --> 27:54.770
key here to prevent escalation . You

27:54.780 --> 27:56.947
know , we do not want to see Hezbollah

27:56.947 --> 27:59.002
get any more engaged in the rar with

27:59.002 --> 28:01.169
100,000 rockets . We don't want to see

28:01.169 --> 28:03.280
that light up . And Iran , you know ,

28:03.280 --> 28:06.300
is they basically , they're tentacles

28:06.310 --> 28:08.530
of r essentially I want to turn to the

28:08.540 --> 28:10.596
human shield because I don't think a

28:10.596 --> 28:12.818
lot of people understand , they look at

28:12.818 --> 28:14.762
the TV and they see these innocent

28:14.762 --> 28:16.707
civilians and we all it breaks our

28:16.707 --> 28:19.329
heart to see human beings , you know ,

28:19.339 --> 28:23.160
in this such uh circumstances . But if

28:23.170 --> 28:25.392
you could explain perhaps to the me and

28:25.392 --> 28:27.448
the committee and those behind you ,

28:27.448 --> 28:30.479
what Hamas does to endanger innocent

28:30.489 --> 28:33.260
civilians by using them and our

28:33.270 --> 28:36.500
hostages as human shields . For

28:36.510 --> 28:38.979
instance , there is the hospital known

28:38.989 --> 28:41.930
as Shifa , Al Shifa that has gotten a

28:41.939 --> 28:45.020
lot of attention lately . However , as

28:45.030 --> 28:47.252
I understand it , Hamas has a terrorist

28:47.252 --> 28:50.359
infrastructure located in the hospital

28:50.369 --> 28:52.949
itself and underneath in the tunnels ,

28:52.959 --> 28:56.069
putting innocent civilians in jeopardy

28:56.489 --> 28:58.859
and at risk and the hostages as well .

28:58.869 --> 29:00.980
Can you , would you comment on that ?

29:04.790 --> 29:07.012
The rules of international Humanitarian

29:07.012 --> 29:08.910
law are clear , they apply to the

29:08.920 --> 29:11.349
Israel defense forces . They also apply

29:11.359 --> 29:14.130
to Hamas . One cannot deliberately

29:14.140 --> 29:16.329
target civilians or civilian objects .

29:16.420 --> 29:18.469
One cannot use civilians as human

29:18.479 --> 29:21.290
shields attack cannot be indiscriminate ,

29:21.400 --> 29:24.560
one cannot rape , torture or mutilate .

29:24.670 --> 29:27.300
One cannot take hostages and attacks

29:27.310 --> 29:29.532
cannot cause excessive loss of civilian

29:29.532 --> 29:31.829
life . Or damage to civilian objects in

29:31.839 --> 29:33.959
relation to their military advantage

29:33.969 --> 29:36.839
are prohibited . Hamas has it is there

29:36.849 --> 29:38.738
is documented evidence , there is

29:38.738 --> 29:41.071
plenty of images out there . Some of it ,

29:41.071 --> 29:43.238
Hamas has put out itself to praise its

29:43.238 --> 29:45.460
use of terror tunnels , its obfuscation

29:45.460 --> 29:47.627
of weapons and rockets inside civilian

29:47.627 --> 29:49.460
structures including hospitals ,

29:49.460 --> 29:51.930
mosques and schools . My question , the

29:51.939 --> 29:54.489
two of you last very quickly . Would

29:54.500 --> 29:56.819
you say that Hamas is then according to

29:56.829 --> 29:58.551
your testimony in violation of

29:58.770 --> 30:01.660
international humanitarian law , Mr

30:01.670 --> 30:04.660
Chairman ? Yes , absolutely .

30:05.560 --> 30:07.969
Would you say that Hamas is also guilty

30:07.979 --> 30:09.619
of war crimes and genocide ?

30:11.410 --> 30:13.829
Yes . Yeah . Yes .

30:15.420 --> 30:18.540
Uh I we caution the , the um those

30:18.550 --> 30:22.030
participating to uh not shout out . Um

30:22.160 --> 30:25.050
We will uh we appreciate peaceful

30:25.119 --> 30:26.897
protests but we want to keep it

30:26.897 --> 30:28.563
peaceful with that . Uh chair

30:28.563 --> 30:30.508
recognizes his ranking member , Mr

30:30.508 --> 30:32.786
Meeks . Thank you , Mr Chair and , and ,

30:32.786 --> 30:34.897
and I want to thank you for that last

30:34.897 --> 30:37.063
uh explanations because I think that's

30:37.063 --> 30:37.050
something that does need to be clear in

30:37.280 --> 30:40.569
regards to who Hamas is .

30:40.910 --> 30:43.040
Um may I come to order ?

30:52.670 --> 30:53.040
It's

31:00.010 --> 31:02.890
call them . The chair reminds our

31:02.900 --> 31:06.800
guests , the

31:06.810 --> 31:08.969
chair reminds our guest today .

31:08.979 --> 31:12.209
Demonstrations for the audience will

31:12.219 --> 31:14.108
not be tolerated including verbal

31:14.108 --> 31:16.640
outburst . And we again appreciate your

31:16.650 --> 31:20.310
right to , we appreciate your right to

31:20.319 --> 31:23.500
protest under the constitution , but we

31:23.510 --> 31:25.621
would ask that you do that peacefully

31:25.621 --> 31:27.677
and in a style that does not disrupt

31:27.680 --> 31:30.540
the proceedings . Thank you , Mr Meeks .

31:32.270 --> 31:34.369
Thank you again , Mr Mr Chairman ,

31:34.380 --> 31:37.530
because we know that what's going on in

31:37.540 --> 31:41.189
the death started when it was Hamas

31:41.199 --> 31:44.949
who violated a cease

31:44.959 --> 31:47.859
fire . It was Hamas

31:48.969 --> 31:52.959
that committed these heinous acts

31:53.589 --> 31:57.319
and it is Hamas who have stated

31:58.150 --> 32:00.939
that these deaths , you know , these ,

32:00.949 --> 32:03.829
this , it's good for , for them uh as

32:03.839 --> 32:06.006
far as Martone because they will never

32:06.006 --> 32:09.650
stop until uh they

32:09.660 --> 32:12.150
destroy Israel . So I think that that's

32:12.160 --> 32:15.469
important for the record uh uh to be

32:15.479 --> 32:17.701
clear . And I think it's also important

32:17.701 --> 32:20.339
for the record to be clear because I

32:20.349 --> 32:22.569
think the language and , and I would

32:22.579 --> 32:25.939
ask uh secretary leaf in regards to

32:26.310 --> 32:28.650
uh the administration talking about a

32:28.660 --> 32:32.300
humanitarian pause which is for the

32:32.310 --> 32:35.400
Palestinian people as opposed to a

32:35.410 --> 32:38.660
cease fire which benefits Hamas .

32:39.520 --> 32:43.359
And I think that most people want to

32:43.369 --> 32:46.180
make sure that the innocent

32:46.189 --> 32:49.810
Palestinians are giving a safe space

32:49.819 --> 32:53.219
and moving forward . And that's why the

32:53.229 --> 32:55.007
administration has called for a

32:55.007 --> 32:57.560
humanitarian pause , but a cease fire

32:58.030 --> 33:01.250
would only give Hamas as they have

33:01.260 --> 33:04.420
stated the opportunity to rearm

33:04.430 --> 33:07.969
themselves and do what they did on

33:07.979 --> 33:11.530
October 7th again because they said it ,

33:11.709 --> 33:13.820
they would do it again and again , is

33:13.820 --> 33:16.630
that accurate ranking member that is

33:16.640 --> 33:18.910
accurate ? Um If you would permit ,

33:18.920 --> 33:22.349
I'll , I'll elaborate a bit uh when the

33:22.359 --> 33:24.979
secretary came out on his uh visit to

33:24.989 --> 33:26.878
the region last week and met with

33:26.878 --> 33:28.822
Israeli leaders at the president's

33:28.822 --> 33:31.045
request , he put on the table , uh what

33:31.045 --> 33:33.156
we believe is a , is a timeliness for

33:33.156 --> 33:35.267
humanitarian pauses . And I do stress

33:35.267 --> 33:37.344
pause is because these should be

33:37.354 --> 33:39.755
embedded into current operations and

33:39.765 --> 33:42.694
they can be and those will uh allow

33:42.704 --> 33:44.984
civilians to move out of harm's way .

33:45.094 --> 33:46.983
They will allow us to open up the

33:46.983 --> 33:49.814
aperture even wider to get a , a really

33:49.824 --> 33:52.074
robust flow of humanitarian assistance

33:52.084 --> 33:54.935
into Gaza . Uh and then for it to be

33:54.944 --> 33:57.584
delivered to those in need , it also uh

33:57.594 --> 34:00.545
would likely this would also likely um

34:00.555 --> 34:02.875
support the efforts that are undergo

34:02.885 --> 34:05.229
that we are undergoing to get the

34:05.239 --> 34:07.239
release of hostages and get them to

34:07.239 --> 34:09.295
safety . A cease fire . On the other

34:09.300 --> 34:11.889
end at this moment , uh would leave

34:11.899 --> 34:15.050
Hamas still in a position with uh 200

34:15.060 --> 34:17.669
plus hostages . Uh a very large

34:17.679 --> 34:19.457
military infrastructure and the

34:19.457 --> 34:21.568
capacity to continue attacks . And by

34:21.568 --> 34:24.270
the way , a senior Hamas leader last

34:24.280 --> 34:27.110
week made it very clear publicly that

34:27.120 --> 34:29.176
they would look to commit an October

34:29.176 --> 34:31.729
7th style massacre again and again and

34:31.739 --> 34:34.428
again . Thank you for that . So let me

34:34.438 --> 34:36.271
let me move to a different place

34:36.271 --> 34:38.382
because I believe also there needs to

34:38.382 --> 34:40.549
be a plan in place to ensure that once

34:40.549 --> 34:42.549
Israel's military operation against

34:42.549 --> 34:45.339
Hamas has concluded that there will be

34:45.349 --> 34:47.668
an entity in place credible to the

34:47.678 --> 34:51.349
Gazans uh who can administer Gaza and

34:51.358 --> 34:54.090
provide basic security . And I know

34:54.100 --> 34:57.229
that secretary uh Blanken uh has

34:57.239 --> 34:59.330
indicated that he thought that the

34:59.340 --> 35:01.770
Palestinian Authority might be the

35:01.780 --> 35:04.429
appropriate entity . So I want to ask

35:04.439 --> 35:06.606
you that question , you know , what is

35:06.606 --> 35:08.772
your view on the Palestinian authority

35:08.772 --> 35:08.530
as an appropriate entity to assume

35:08.540 --> 35:11.489
control of Gaza in the future ? And as

35:11.500 --> 35:13.667
well as that , I've talked to a number

35:13.667 --> 35:15.944
of others in the region , Saudi Arabia ,

35:15.944 --> 35:18.370
UAE , et cetera . What can our Arab

35:18.379 --> 35:20.719
States do to assist in stabilizing and

35:20.729 --> 35:22.989
administering a Gaza in the immediate

35:23.000 --> 35:25.340
period following hamas' removal from

35:25.350 --> 35:28.239
power ? So to your first question , uh

35:28.250 --> 35:30.250
ranking member , uh the Palestinian

35:30.250 --> 35:32.250
Authority , as we all know , is the

35:32.250 --> 35:34.417
only uh self , is the only Palestinian

35:34.417 --> 35:36.770
government uh that has come out of the

35:36.790 --> 35:39.020
Oslo Accords . It is uh whatever its

35:39.030 --> 35:42.350
shortcomings uh is , is the government

35:42.360 --> 35:44.582
for the Palestinians in the West Bank .

35:44.582 --> 35:46.739
Uh We do believe that ultimately

35:46.750 --> 35:49.242
Palestinian and voices and aspirations

35:49.252 --> 35:51.363
that have to be at the centerpiece of

35:51.363 --> 35:53.542
post conflict governance and security

35:53.552 --> 35:56.032
in Gaza . Um We are looking at all of

35:56.042 --> 35:58.802
these questions right now . Um We are ,

35:58.812 --> 36:00.423
we would like to begin those

36:00.423 --> 36:02.590
discussions sooner rather than later .

36:02.590 --> 36:04.645
I would say our Arab partners on the

36:04.645 --> 36:07.552
one hand as we heard from them uh last

36:07.562 --> 36:10.035
weekend in Iman are very focused on the

36:10.045 --> 36:12.101
here and now they're very focused on

36:12.101 --> 36:13.989
the issues of humanitarian uh the

36:13.989 --> 36:16.656
humanitarian crisis and um and they're

36:16.666 --> 36:18.944
focused on , on obtaining a cease fire .

36:19.035 --> 36:21.176
Uh We are doing both things we're

36:21.186 --> 36:23.408
focused on the here and now . But we're

36:23.408 --> 36:25.408
also looking over the hill past the

36:25.408 --> 36:27.742
conflict and what needs to come . And I ,

36:27.742 --> 36:30.110
I'm quite confident uh that we will

36:30.120 --> 36:33.000
find support in our common efforts . Um

36:33.010 --> 36:35.010
But I , I want to stress that we do

36:35.010 --> 36:37.719
think the P A is the appropriate uh

36:37.729 --> 36:39.451
place to look for governance .

36:39.451 --> 36:42.409
Eventually my time is expired . So Iy ,

36:42.560 --> 36:45.219
that Joan yields uh chair recognizes Mr

36:45.229 --> 36:47.062
Smith . Thank you very much , Mr

36:47.062 --> 36:49.285
Chairman . Let me uh Secretary Stroll ,

36:49.285 --> 36:51.507
you had indicated or talked about false

36:51.507 --> 36:53.618
narratives . And I think that's a , a

36:53.618 --> 36:55.618
very important subject to , to , to

36:55.618 --> 36:58.340
speak about nowhere . Is that more uh

36:58.350 --> 37:00.628
in evidence than at the United Nations ,

37:00.628 --> 37:03.290
both in Geneva , as well as in New York .

37:03.560 --> 37:05.782
Uh I chaired a hearing uh earlier today

37:05.782 --> 37:07.671
called the United Nations bigotry

37:07.671 --> 37:09.610
towards Israel un anti Semitism ,

37:09.620 --> 37:11.969
poisons Palestinian youth . And we did

37:11.979 --> 37:13.979
put a focus on how young people are

37:13.979 --> 37:16.201
being trained up to hate Jews , to hate

37:16.201 --> 37:18.810
Israel and to hate us in those under

37:18.830 --> 37:20.941
camps that we have provided under the

37:20.941 --> 37:22.997
Biden administration about a billion

37:22.997 --> 37:25.399
dollars uh towards U Nrw uh and the ,

37:25.409 --> 37:27.465
the entire operation . So I'm very ,

37:27.465 --> 37:29.687
very concerned as are the members of my

37:29.687 --> 37:31.965
committee when we met uh earlier today ,

37:31.965 --> 37:33.853
the false narratives that we , we

37:33.853 --> 37:36.020
brought out . Um one particular one is

37:36.020 --> 37:38.909
one of many uh Francesca Albanese ,

37:38.919 --> 37:41.030
who's the High Commissioner for Human

37:41.030 --> 37:42.697
Rights special rapporteur for

37:42.697 --> 37:44.979
Palestinian Territories , uh said that

37:44.989 --> 37:48.889
Israel has no right to defend itself

37:49.110 --> 37:52.689
and she makes a bogus legal argument

37:52.879 --> 37:55.280
that somehow article 51 does not apply

37:55.350 --> 37:57.239
and that they , they can't defend

37:57.239 --> 37:59.489
themselves uh that kind of narrative

37:59.500 --> 38:01.722
and there are many others like it , but

38:01.722 --> 38:03.778
she's the one of the point people on

38:03.778 --> 38:06.111
this , your thoughts on that . Secondly ,

38:06.111 --> 38:09.229
uh if I could uh is Gaza the harbinger

38:09.239 --> 38:11.461
of what a two state solution would look

38:11.461 --> 38:13.517
like ? I was on the White House lawn

38:13.517 --> 38:15.517
when Bill Clinton famously had both

38:15.517 --> 38:18.239
leaders of , of the PLO as well as uh

38:18.250 --> 38:20.530
uh Israel on that lawn . We're all

38:20.540 --> 38:22.449
hopeful that Oslo would lead to a

38:22.459 --> 38:25.090
positive peaceful outcome and yet we

38:25.100 --> 38:28.659
see a de facto two state in Gaza . And

38:28.669 --> 38:30.780
what are they doing ? I've read the ,

38:30.780 --> 38:33.959
the Hamas Charter of 1988 many times .

38:34.060 --> 38:36.459
It calls for a killing every Jew and it

38:36.469 --> 38:39.340
also c for calls for the end of Israel ,

38:39.350 --> 38:41.461
eviscerating the entire nation . Your

38:41.461 --> 38:43.628
thoughts on that because I think while

38:43.628 --> 38:45.739
the two state solution seemed to have

38:45.739 --> 38:47.850
merit , we all hoped , it seems to be

38:47.850 --> 38:49.794
something that has been profoundly

38:49.794 --> 38:51.628
discredited uh in modern times ,

38:51.628 --> 38:54.610
especially now by Gaza Congressman .

38:54.620 --> 38:56.676
Thank you for your question . Uh You

38:56.676 --> 38:58.870
know , if we go back in time to the

38:58.879 --> 39:02.340
events in Gaza in 2006 , 2007 , Hamas

39:02.350 --> 39:05.120
essentially uh undertook a violent coup

39:05.129 --> 39:07.399
and took over and is , is run uh by

39:07.409 --> 39:10.639
brutal fiat ever since . So those 2

39:10.649 --> 39:12.705
million plus Palestinians who really

39:12.705 --> 39:14.871
had no vote in the matter uh certainly

39:14.871 --> 39:18.639
not since 2006 . Um That would hardly

39:18.649 --> 39:20.840
qualify as a state in anybody's by

39:20.850 --> 39:22.739
anybody's reckoning . I think the

39:22.739 --> 39:24.906
Palestinian legitimate aspirations for

39:24.906 --> 39:27.072
statehood have been something that had

39:27.072 --> 39:29.017
been recognized now for decades by

39:29.017 --> 39:31.239
successive and administrations . And uh

39:31.239 --> 39:34.805
I , we all feel , uh I , I say that we

39:34.815 --> 39:36.537
in a collective sense , having

39:36.537 --> 39:39.575
consulted um with key partners this

39:39.585 --> 39:41.666
past several weeks , uh There's a

39:41.676 --> 39:44.115
greater urgency than ever to take a

39:44.125 --> 39:46.976
negotiation forward after the conflict

39:47.075 --> 39:50.006
uh towards uh a two to , towards the

39:50.016 --> 39:52.072
Palestinians statehood , negotiating

39:52.072 --> 39:55.372
between the parties along uh the 1967

39:55.382 --> 39:58.201
lines with , with mutually agreed swaps .

39:58.211 --> 40:00.052
But something that will give the

40:00.062 --> 40:02.711
Palestinian people uh the governance ,

40:02.721 --> 40:04.711
uh the self governance that they

40:04.721 --> 40:07.271
deserve and give them a chance to live

40:07.281 --> 40:09.781
next to Israel in a , in a state of ,

40:09.791 --> 40:12.312
of peace and mutual recognition

40:16.070 --> 40:18.237
uh with respect to both UN R A and the

40:18.237 --> 40:20.689
two state solution . What , what the

40:20.699 --> 40:22.921
position of the Department of Defense ?

40:22.921 --> 40:24.643
First of all is to support our

40:24.643 --> 40:26.866
colleagues at the Department of State .

40:26.866 --> 40:29.088
There is a difference between Hamas , a

40:29.088 --> 40:28.810
US designated foreign terrorist

40:28.820 --> 40:31.050
organization and the Palestinian people

40:31.060 --> 40:33.282
who absolutely deserve a state of their

40:33.282 --> 40:35.338
own , which would enable Israelis to

40:35.338 --> 40:37.629
live in a secure state as well as for

40:37.639 --> 40:40.580
Palestinians . It is an area that we

40:40.590 --> 40:42.939
are constantly engaged in with our

40:42.949 --> 40:45.060
colleagues in the Israeli Ministry of

40:45.060 --> 40:47.282
Defense and the Israel Defense Forces .

40:47.282 --> 40:49.227
Can I just ask you with regards to

40:49.227 --> 40:51.227
Francesca Albanese as one example ,

40:51.227 --> 40:53.282
again , she's a special rapporteur .

40:53.282 --> 40:55.560
She should be fired when you say there .

40:55.560 --> 40:57.782
And I've gone over her other statements

40:57.782 --> 40:59.949
have been made for quite a long time .

40:59.949 --> 41:02.227
Uh And there were many others like her ,

41:02.227 --> 41:04.060
particularly in the Human Rights

41:04.060 --> 41:07.070
Council realm , uh who are just totally

41:07.429 --> 41:10.699
unambiguously anti Semitic . Well , I

41:10.709 --> 41:12.765
mean , the statements as , as you've

41:12.765 --> 41:14.709
described , I mean , certainly are

41:14.709 --> 41:16.876
unacceptable from the US perspective .

41:16.876 --> 41:19.042
Um If I , if I go back , if I could go

41:19.042 --> 41:22.050
back to UN R um A congressman , uh look ,

41:22.060 --> 41:24.629
uh this has been uh a year long effort

41:24.639 --> 41:26.806
and it's something that we continue to

41:26.806 --> 41:29.860
apply ourselves to , to clear out um uh

41:29.870 --> 41:32.659
to bring to the attention of UN R uh to

41:32.669 --> 41:34.899
clear out anti Semitic or any other

41:34.909 --> 41:36.909
sort of incitement language in , in

41:36.909 --> 41:39.020
education materials . But I would , I

41:39.020 --> 41:41.340
would also um underline that right now ,

41:41.350 --> 41:43.824
especially at this moment of crisis .

41:43.985 --> 41:47.344
UN R A is the backbone of the strong UN

41:47.354 --> 41:49.635
coordinate humanitarian response to the

41:49.645 --> 41:52.344
crisis uh in Gaza and in any post

41:52.354 --> 41:54.584
conflict uh setting , it will , it will

41:54.594 --> 41:56.816
serve that purpose amount of time . But

41:56.816 --> 41:58.927
the textbooks and all the rest is all

41:58.927 --> 42:01.145
done by the P A . It's not done by the

42:01.155 --> 42:03.322
UN or US . We're the major contributor

42:04.699 --> 42:06.699
J yields . The chair recognizes Mr

42:06.709 --> 42:10.399
Sherman . Um the gentleman from

42:10.409 --> 42:12.780
New Jersey is correct as to the special

42:13.050 --> 42:14.939
rent tour . And uh we have sent a

42:14.939 --> 42:17.106
letter . Uh And perhaps we should send

42:17.106 --> 42:19.161
another one urging for her dismissal

42:19.820 --> 42:22.870
from the river to the sea . People

42:22.879 --> 42:25.239
should know what that means . It means

42:25.250 --> 42:27.879
kill or expel every jew between the

42:27.889 --> 42:30.167
Jordan river and the Mediterranean Sea .

42:30.879 --> 42:34.560
A second Holocaust . Now we had a

42:34.570 --> 42:38.370
cease fire on October 6th Hamas forces

42:38.379 --> 42:41.689
exploded out and killed 1400 people

42:41.699 --> 42:45.639
took 2400 , 240 roughly hostages . Now ,

42:45.649 --> 42:47.649
their fighters could have stayed in

42:47.649 --> 42:49.482
Israel and fought instead , they

42:49.482 --> 42:51.639
quickly retreated behind their human

42:51.649 --> 42:54.810
shields . Now , um

42:55.669 --> 42:58.570
we hear those calling for a cease fire .

42:59.459 --> 43:02.100
Hamas has declared that they want a

43:02.110 --> 43:04.419
cease fire has declared what they would

43:04.429 --> 43:06.840
do with a cease fire . They would

43:06.850 --> 43:09.072
regroup and these are the words of just

43:09.072 --> 43:11.128
a few days ago of a senior member of

43:11.128 --> 43:13.949
their Politburo and then they would do

43:13.959 --> 43:17.699
another October 7th and another after

43:17.709 --> 43:20.520
that and two and three and four times

43:20.530 --> 43:23.489
until Israel is destroyed . So those

43:23.500 --> 43:26.439
who delight in the 1400 Israeli deaths

43:27.199 --> 43:29.419
and the butchered babies and the raped

43:29.429 --> 43:33.280
women , of course , join that call

43:33.290 --> 43:37.010
for a regroup cease fire and a chance

43:37.020 --> 43:40.860
to do October 7th 2345

43:40.870 --> 43:43.729
times . Now , in any war ,

43:44.979 --> 43:47.035
a country has got to weigh achieving

43:47.035 --> 43:49.280
its military objectives , avoiding

43:49.290 --> 43:51.560
casualties of its own forces and

43:51.570 --> 43:53.850
minimizing civilian casualties . On the

43:53.860 --> 43:57.320
other side , Israel has gone beyond the

43:57.330 --> 44:01.030
United States and any other country in

44:01.040 --> 44:05.040
every way to sacrifice its own soldiers

44:05.050 --> 44:07.520
to sacrifice or delay its military

44:07.530 --> 44:10.199
objectives in order to avoid civilian

44:10.209 --> 44:13.879
casualties . When in our bombing of

44:13.889 --> 44:16.199
North Vietnam or Germany or Japan , did

44:16.209 --> 44:19.899
we ever warn civilians or anyone else ?

44:20.260 --> 44:22.780
And give up the possible surprise ?

44:23.780 --> 44:27.659
When did we provide food shipments to

44:27.669 --> 44:30.489
Nazi Germany or Japan or North Vietnam ?

44:31.469 --> 44:34.780
In fact , it was a British and American

44:34.790 --> 44:37.389
blockade of Germany and Austro Hungary

44:37.629 --> 44:39.796
that pretty much led to their defeat ,

44:39.796 --> 44:42.919
a food blockade . When did we ever

44:42.929 --> 44:46.870
provide fuel shipments to Japan or

44:46.879 --> 44:49.899
Germany or North Vietnam ? In fact , we

44:49.909 --> 44:51.689
bombed and destroyed every fuel

44:51.699 --> 44:55.000
facility we could yet . Israel

44:55.229 --> 44:58.479
warns Israel facilitates food and

44:58.489 --> 45:00.699
America , its ally pays for that food

45:00.989 --> 45:04.840
and Israel uh , uh , is , uh , uh

45:04.939 --> 45:08.090
allowing fuel in , in spite of the fact

45:08.100 --> 45:11.020
that Hamas stockpiles it . Um ,

45:11.830 --> 45:14.070
as , ah , the , I have the obscure

45:14.080 --> 45:16.080
honor of being the only CPA on this

45:16.080 --> 45:18.191
committee . And so I focused a little

45:18.191 --> 45:20.459
bit on casualty statistics , even if

45:20.469 --> 45:23.340
you accept Hamas casualty statistics .

45:23.350 --> 45:26.870
As being honest , if a Hamas fighter

45:26.879 --> 45:30.120
who happens to be 17 gets blown up by

45:30.129 --> 45:32.129
his own rocket while trying to kill

45:32.129 --> 45:34.296
Israeli civilians with it . They count

45:34.296 --> 45:37.570
that as a child casualty for which

45:37.580 --> 45:39.919
Israel should be held responsible if a

45:39.929 --> 45:42.729
rocket falls as one third of them do on

45:42.739 --> 45:45.219
to Gaza and explodes as it did at that

45:45.229 --> 45:48.500
famous hospital , uh , they try to hold

45:48.510 --> 45:52.370
Israel responsible and if Israel kills

45:52.379 --> 45:54.699
a Hamas commander , that death is

45:54.709 --> 45:56.979
included along the deaths that we are

45:56.989 --> 45:59.239
now told are the civilian casualties .

45:59.790 --> 46:02.939
Um , m uh , Assistant secretary , we

46:02.949 --> 46:05.116
hear calls for a cease fire . Is there

46:05.116 --> 46:07.116
any proof that if a cease fire were

46:07.116 --> 46:09.379
declared today , that the , uh , all

46:09.389 --> 46:11.611
the hostages would be released tomorrow

46:11.611 --> 46:13.939
or immediately ? No congressman ,

46:13.949 --> 46:16.080
there's not , there's no guarantee .

46:16.300 --> 46:19.129
Now , Israeli officials are doing a lot

46:19.139 --> 46:21.489
to minimize civilian casualties . They

46:21.500 --> 46:23.389
provide the warnings . We've seen

46:23.389 --> 46:25.333
several humanitarian pauses . Um ,

46:25.333 --> 46:27.500
basically a permanent pause around the

46:27.500 --> 46:29.611
Rafah Gate . Ah , can you describe in

46:29.611 --> 46:32.489
other ways , ah , how Id F has reduced

46:32.500 --> 46:35.320
civilian casualties or perhaps the

46:35.330 --> 46:38.090
Deputy assistant secretary ? Let me

46:38.100 --> 46:41.040
start by adding even more details to

46:41.050 --> 46:43.050
your outline of what Israel does to

46:43.050 --> 46:45.120
prioritize protection of civilians .

46:45.500 --> 46:48.790
They have dropped 1.5 million leaflets

46:48.800 --> 46:51.820
in Gaza asking civilians to evacuate .

46:52.310 --> 46:54.489
They have sent over hundreds of

46:54.500 --> 46:56.500
thousands of text messages and made

46:56.500 --> 46:58.611
phone calls to cell phones warning of

46:58.611 --> 47:00.611
their , if I can interrupt . Did we

47:00.611 --> 47:02.870
ever provide leaflets over Hanoi ? To

47:02.879 --> 47:04.768
my knowledge ? No , I'm older . I

47:04.768 --> 47:08.669
remember . Go ahead . Uh We know that

47:08.679 --> 47:11.360
Israel uh we , in our conversations

47:11.370 --> 47:13.481
with the Israel defense Forces , they

47:13.481 --> 47:15.370
have made very clear uh that they

47:15.370 --> 47:17.314
assess collateral damage estimates

47:17.314 --> 47:19.370
before they take strikes . They have

47:19.379 --> 47:21.435
legal reviews through their chain of

47:21.435 --> 47:23.657
command and when there are incidents of

47:23.657 --> 47:25.768
civilian harm , they investigate them

47:25.768 --> 47:29.479
after . Thank you , gentlemen .

47:29.489 --> 47:32.179
Yields , sir . Uh I now recognize MS

47:32.189 --> 47:34.979
Wagner . Uh I , I thank the chairman

47:34.989 --> 47:37.229
and I thank our witnesses for their um

47:37.320 --> 47:39.590
for their service . The United States ,

47:39.600 --> 47:42.370
Israel and our many partners in the

47:42.379 --> 47:45.870
Middle East share a common enemy , Iran ,

47:46.590 --> 47:49.050
Iran and the terrorist puppets that do

47:49.060 --> 47:51.679
its bidding . We cannot waiver in our

47:51.689 --> 47:54.489
support for Israel and our opposition

47:54.590 --> 47:57.770
to Iran Hamas and other terrorist

47:57.780 --> 48:00.929
proxies . It is the only path to

48:00.939 --> 48:03.780
peace in the Middle East . Uh Assistant

48:03.790 --> 48:07.409
secretary leaf does Iran have the

48:07.419 --> 48:10.540
military capacity and intent to

48:10.550 --> 48:13.209
escalate this war including by

48:13.219 --> 48:15.479
supporting Hezbollah or , or the

48:15.570 --> 48:18.629
Houthis in the opening ? Uh uh and in

48:18.639 --> 48:20.806
opening additional fronts , I'll say ,

48:20.806 --> 48:22.861
and how is the US communicating that

48:22.861 --> 48:25.949
escalation would be unacceptably

48:25.959 --> 48:29.429
costly to uh for Iran and its terrorist

48:29.439 --> 48:32.280
proxies ? Uh Thank you , Congresswoman .

48:32.290 --> 48:34.429
Uh Yes , I would say , uh Iran

48:34.439 --> 48:37.540
certainly has the uh the capabilities

48:37.550 --> 48:39.969
in the sense of the uh architecture of

48:39.979 --> 48:42.090
proxies that you've just described uh

48:42.090 --> 48:45.659
from Hamas Hezbollah to the myriad

48:45.879 --> 48:48.169
Iraqi militias of the Houthi . It

48:48.179 --> 48:50.457
certainly has the capacity to escalate .

48:50.560 --> 48:52.727
Uh I would say over the course of four

48:52.727 --> 48:54.616
weeks . Uh We have been in a very

48:54.616 --> 48:56.893
steady , relentless state of messaging ,

48:56.893 --> 48:59.060
of course , use of our force posture ,

48:59.060 --> 49:01.939
uh um uh adjustments uh increases uh

49:01.949 --> 49:04.800
messaging directly uh and through other

49:04.810 --> 49:07.580
uh parties uh on a constant relentless

49:07.590 --> 49:11.370
basis . Um And I , I think uh while

49:11.379 --> 49:13.929
there has been uh um escalatory at

49:13.939 --> 49:16.879
times , um sort of tit for tat but

49:16.889 --> 49:19.111
escalatory on the part of Hezbollah tit

49:19.111 --> 49:21.080
for tat at the northern border of

49:21.090 --> 49:24.800
Israel . Um We have seen a success so

49:24.810 --> 49:27.800
far in keeping that escalation . Uh cap

49:28.330 --> 49:30.386
uh Deputy Assistant Secretary Stroll

49:30.386 --> 49:32.274
last week , a Wall Street Journal

49:32.274 --> 49:34.441
article reported that the Wagner group

49:34.500 --> 49:37.919
uh Russia's paramilitary arm plans to

49:37.929 --> 49:39.850
provide an air defense system to

49:39.959 --> 49:42.949
Hezbollah , specifically the Russian S

49:42.959 --> 49:46.959
A 22 with concerns that Hezbollah may

49:46.969 --> 49:50.000
open up the northern front uh against

49:50.010 --> 49:52.489
Israel knowing the capacity that they

49:52.500 --> 49:54.500
have and the number of rockets that

49:54.500 --> 49:56.149
they have . Uh what are the

49:56.159 --> 49:58.389
ramifications to Israel's security if

49:58.399 --> 50:02.149
Russia , Russia increases the transfer

50:02.159 --> 50:04.399
of weapons systems to Hezbollah ? And

50:04.409 --> 50:06.659
what is the likelihood that that Russia

50:06.669 --> 50:08.780
will provide offensive weapon systems

50:08.780 --> 50:10.947
to Hezbollah and other proxies of Iran

50:10.947 --> 50:14.879
like Mas . Thank you for that question .

50:14.889 --> 50:16.929
I think Russia and Putin would like

50:16.939 --> 50:19.161
nothing more than for the United States

50:19.161 --> 50:21.217
to be bogged down in the Middle East

50:21.217 --> 50:23.328
with a view that that would shift our

50:23.328 --> 50:25.610
strategic focus from also ensuring that

50:25.620 --> 50:29.020
Russian aggression cannot be victorious

50:29.030 --> 50:30.830
in Ukraine in that war against

50:30.840 --> 50:33.320
civilians and civilian infrastructure .

50:33.620 --> 50:36.719
Uh Secondly , we have been warning for

50:36.729 --> 50:39.439
some time now about the implications

50:39.449 --> 50:41.659
for regional security and stability of

50:41.669 --> 50:43.659
deepening Russian Iranian military

50:43.669 --> 50:46.189
cooper operation across the board . And

50:46.199 --> 50:48.310
that would certainly include whatever

50:48.310 --> 50:50.532
Russia might be contemplating providing

50:50.532 --> 50:52.532
to him . I don't know if we need to

50:52.532 --> 50:52.330
move to a classified setting at some

50:52.340 --> 50:54.562
point in time . But , but discussing uh

50:54.562 --> 50:57.360
Russia's potential uh uh movement of an

50:57.370 --> 51:00.580
air defense system to Hezbollah equal

51:00.590 --> 51:02.780
to the S A 22 . Uh I consider that a

51:02.790 --> 51:06.159
huge escalation and um I'd like to

51:06.169 --> 51:08.336
perhaps in another setting , have more

51:08.336 --> 51:10.502
information on it . It would be a huge

51:10.502 --> 51:12.280
escalation . It would be a huge

51:12.409 --> 51:14.409
jeopardizing to Israel's security ,

51:14.409 --> 51:16.576
especially when we have worked so hard

51:16.576 --> 51:18.520
to prevent the opening of a , of a

51:18.520 --> 51:20.520
second front and would be more than

51:20.520 --> 51:22.298
happy to provide you additional

51:22.298 --> 51:24.298
information in a closed session . I

51:24.298 --> 51:26.298
appreciate that assistant secretary

51:26.298 --> 51:26.110
leave . I am gravely concerned that

51:26.120 --> 51:28.300
Iran and Iranian proxies are using the

51:28.310 --> 51:30.919
Israel Hamas war to undermine the

51:30.929 --> 51:34.439
Abraham Accords . How is um the state

51:34.449 --> 51:36.616
department communicating to the region

51:36.616 --> 51:38.505
that peace with Israel serves the

51:38.505 --> 51:41.669
interests of Arab States who face

51:41.679 --> 51:43.901
serious threats from Iran and terrorist

51:43.901 --> 51:46.123
proxies . And how is this message being

51:46.123 --> 51:48.457
received in the region ? Thank you . So ,

51:48.457 --> 51:50.401
I mean , the good news is uh those

51:50.401 --> 51:52.179
countries that have established

51:52.179 --> 51:54.123
relations with Israel um have a an

51:54.123 --> 51:55.679
ongoing commitment to those

51:55.679 --> 51:57.846
relationships . Uh Obviously , they're

51:57.846 --> 51:59.957
strained at this point . The channels

51:59.957 --> 52:01.901
of communication are strained . Uh

52:01.901 --> 52:04.012
They're very , these , these partners

52:04.012 --> 52:06.123
are very um very focused on and their

52:06.123 --> 52:08.346
publics are very focused on and enraged

52:08.346 --> 52:10.457
frankly , uh by the the mounting toll

52:10.457 --> 52:12.235
of casualties among civilians ,

52:12.235 --> 52:14.401
Palestinian civilians in Gaza . Uh But

52:14.401 --> 52:17.030
that said , um I've , I've heard uh

52:17.040 --> 52:19.040
nothing that would sway me from the

52:19.040 --> 52:21.239
belief that um there is a day on the

52:21.250 --> 52:23.139
other side of this conflict where

52:23.139 --> 52:25.229
people will work to res will work to

52:25.239 --> 52:27.406
repair those relations because there's

52:27.406 --> 52:29.461
a common good to that . Well , and I

52:29.461 --> 52:31.517
hope that we're pushing back against

52:31.517 --> 52:33.572
the um misinformation and propaganda

52:33.572 --> 52:35.683
that's being disseminated by Iran and

52:35.683 --> 52:37.628
its proxies um especially in these

52:37.628 --> 52:40.110
Abraham Accord countries . So II I

52:40.120 --> 52:42.120
would encourage that and my time is

52:42.120 --> 52:44.398
expired , Mr Chairman and I yield back .

52:44.398 --> 52:46.620
General yields . Uh Chair recognizes Mr

52:46.620 --> 52:48.731
Keating . Thank you , Mr Chairman . I

52:48.800 --> 52:51.469
want to follow up on uh the fact that

52:51.479 --> 52:53.939
uh just in the preceding days just

52:53.949 --> 52:57.419
before October 7th , uh the talks uh

52:57.429 --> 52:59.610
were extended between with the US

52:59.620 --> 53:02.350
involvement uh Israel and Saudi Arabia

53:02.360 --> 53:05.070
for normalization with Israel . How

53:05.080 --> 53:08.770
would you categorize first the status

53:08.780 --> 53:11.709
of those negotiations at that juncture ?

53:12.020 --> 53:14.149
How would you categorize them after

53:14.159 --> 53:16.330
this and how would you categorize them

53:16.340 --> 53:18.507
in the future ? I think it's important

53:18.739 --> 53:21.959
uh for the United States to be clear uh

53:22.040 --> 53:24.729
with our resolve to continue these

53:24.739 --> 53:26.683
talks . And I think it would be in

53:26.683 --> 53:28.906
everyone's interest in , it's for Saudi

53:28.906 --> 53:30.961
Arabia and the other countries to do

53:30.961 --> 53:33.530
the same so that any thought that uh

53:33.540 --> 53:35.429
the success and progress of these

53:35.429 --> 53:38.129
thoughts was in uh uh was benefited

53:38.139 --> 53:40.129
from this heinous attack uh can be

53:40.139 --> 53:43.189
dispelled immediately . Uh Thank you ,

53:43.199 --> 53:45.350
Congressman . Um I was very much

53:45.360 --> 53:48.320
involved in uh those discussions um uh

53:48.330 --> 53:50.790
just prior to in the months leading up

53:50.800 --> 53:53.520
to uh October 7th . Uh obviously ,

53:53.530 --> 53:55.752
they're on pause at this point uh given

53:55.752 --> 53:58.340
the crisis in the region . Um but uh I

53:58.350 --> 54:00.239
think it's fair to say that Saudi

54:00.239 --> 54:02.939
leadership saw a strategic benefit um

54:02.949 --> 54:05.500
in pursuing this . They asked the US to

54:05.510 --> 54:08.209
be the midwife to this uh to this set

54:08.219 --> 54:10.739
of agreements . We were deep into

54:10.750 --> 54:12.750
discussions on a number of fronts .

54:12.830 --> 54:15.500
Ironically , we were just on the cusp

54:15.510 --> 54:17.732
of beginning the discussions about what

54:17.732 --> 54:19.788
we call the Palestinian component to

54:19.788 --> 54:22.010
that normalization agreement . And it's

54:22.010 --> 54:24.177
something that I would expect to um be

54:24.177 --> 54:26.177
able to resume on the other side of

54:26.177 --> 54:28.879
this crisis . And um because there is a

54:28.889 --> 54:31.429
larger good here uh for all of the

54:31.439 --> 54:33.717
parties . Um But I will say , you know ,

54:33.717 --> 54:37.040
very candidly , uh this conflict , this

54:37.050 --> 54:40.550
crisis has roiled up . Um just a huge

54:40.560 --> 54:43.300
amount of public anger towards Israel

54:43.310 --> 54:45.366
towards us . This is something we're

54:45.366 --> 54:47.588
gonna have to work through . Uh We're ,

54:47.588 --> 54:51.030
we're all I would say collectively , uh

54:51.040 --> 54:52.949
anxious to see this conflict over

54:52.959 --> 54:55.250
sooner rather than later and certainly

54:55.260 --> 54:57.316
the human suffering , the human toll

54:57.316 --> 55:00.030
that it is taking . And um but there is ,

55:00.040 --> 55:02.096
uh there is a set of principles that

55:02.096 --> 55:04.262
underlie our engagements and , and one

55:04.262 --> 55:06.590
of them , uh the engagements now and

55:06.600 --> 55:08.711
the engagements post conflict . And ,

55:08.711 --> 55:11.550
and that is very squarely focused on uh

55:11.879 --> 55:14.169
Palestinian statehood and alongside

55:14.179 --> 55:17.060
that a wider uh regional effort at

55:17.070 --> 55:19.209
normalization . In your opening

55:19.219 --> 55:21.330
statement , you made reference to the

55:21.330 --> 55:23.163
fact that uh one of your primary

55:23.163 --> 55:25.275
objectives is to protect us troops in

55:25.275 --> 55:28.260
the region . Now , um I think the

55:28.270 --> 55:30.103
United States has shown enormous

55:30.120 --> 55:33.659
restraint . Uh given the uh uh attacks

55:33.669 --> 55:35.590
that have been public on us ,

55:35.600 --> 55:37.600
servicemen in that region , men and

55:37.600 --> 55:39.879
women that are risking their lives as

55:39.889 --> 55:42.239
well as uh the people serving in our

55:42.250 --> 55:44.820
embassies in those areas . Could you

55:44.830 --> 55:46.997
give us the status of what the current

55:46.997 --> 55:49.270
threat is to our embassies and what it

55:49.280 --> 55:51.336
is to our service people , our , our

55:51.336 --> 55:53.336
service members on the ground uh as

55:53.336 --> 55:56.120
well as what steps we've taken to

55:56.129 --> 55:59.000
upgrade our security uh of both our

55:59.120 --> 56:01.120
military and civilian people on the

56:01.120 --> 56:03.610
ground in this region . So Congressman ,

56:03.620 --> 56:05.676
we'll split the question if you , if

56:05.676 --> 56:07.620
you'll allow us um in terms of our

56:07.620 --> 56:09.731
diplomatic missions . So look , since

56:09.731 --> 56:11.620
the beginning uh hours of this uh

56:11.620 --> 56:13.564
crisis , we anticipated that there

56:13.564 --> 56:15.564
could be public uh churns and there

56:15.564 --> 56:18.129
could be uh certainly an escalation of

56:18.139 --> 56:20.229
terrorist attacks both from known

56:20.239 --> 56:22.517
groups as well as uh lone wolf attacks .

56:22.517 --> 56:24.572
So we've been in a steady state with

56:24.572 --> 56:26.406
all of our mission leadership of

56:26.406 --> 56:28.628
calibrating uh looking every day at the

56:28.628 --> 56:30.750
security situation uh and uh

56:30.760 --> 56:33.250
calibrating decisions about whether to

56:33.379 --> 56:35.520
uh for instance , uh send home

56:35.530 --> 56:38.020
non-essential personnel or allow family

56:38.030 --> 56:40.540
members to depart uh in some cases . So

56:40.550 --> 56:42.679
we uh done the necessary where we

56:42.689 --> 56:44.578
thought it was useful for embassy

56:44.578 --> 56:47.530
staffing where uh and if , for instance ,

56:47.540 --> 56:50.370
in Iraq and our mission uh consulate .

56:50.379 --> 56:52.750
Erbil is still open . Embassy Baghdad

56:52.760 --> 56:54.649
is still open but we have reduced

56:54.649 --> 56:56.790
non-essential personnel given the uh

56:56.800 --> 56:59.129
the volatility of the situation and uh

56:59.139 --> 57:01.149
and the possibilities of conflict .

57:02.370 --> 57:04.370
Thank you , Congressman Cognizant .

57:04.370 --> 57:06.259
That time is short , I'll be very

57:06.259 --> 57:08.370
succinct . Uh There have been over 41

57:08.370 --> 57:10.314
attacks on US . Forces in Iraq and

57:10.314 --> 57:12.889
Syria US forces in Iraq and Syria are

57:12.899 --> 57:15.520
there only for the defeat ISIS mission

57:15.530 --> 57:18.000
in support of local partners for no

57:18.010 --> 57:21.159
other purpose . Uh Since October 17th ,

57:21.219 --> 57:23.739
we have flowed additional air defense

57:23.750 --> 57:25.945
assets in to protect against the

57:25.955 --> 57:28.385
increasing pace and severity of the

57:28.395 --> 57:30.562
attacks by Iran and Iran backed groups

57:30.562 --> 57:32.824
against our forces . We have also

57:32.834 --> 57:34.834
demonstrated as President Biden has

57:34.834 --> 57:37.465
said he has no higher priority than the

57:37.475 --> 57:39.635
protection of us forces that we are

57:39.645 --> 57:41.594
prepared to use military force .

57:41.604 --> 57:43.771
Demonstrated that we will use force in

57:43.771 --> 57:45.882
self defense as if I could . I've got

57:45.882 --> 57:47.826
five seconds left . I just want to

57:47.826 --> 57:50.415
emphasize the fact that this is uh 13

57:50.425 --> 57:52.854
days ago as we sit here , Hamas was in

57:52.864 --> 57:55.590
Moscow uh in talks that I think will

57:55.600 --> 57:58.229
deal with in classified session . Uh

57:58.239 --> 58:01.020
But as our service people , as our

58:01.030 --> 58:02.808
embassies are threatened , it's

58:02.808 --> 58:04.919
important to remember Iran and Russia

58:04.919 --> 58:06.863
and their role in this as well . I

58:06.863 --> 58:08.974
yield back . Gentleman yields . Chair

58:08.974 --> 58:10.808
recognizes Mr Mast . Thank you .

58:10.808 --> 58:13.800
Chairman . Do either of you monitor the

58:13.810 --> 58:15.120
Gaza Health Ministry .

58:17.959 --> 58:21.889
I do not . No , no .

58:21.939 --> 58:24.280
So I think it's , you know , it's easy

58:24.290 --> 58:26.346
to look at . It's what the lady that

58:26.346 --> 58:28.457
got pulled out was parroting when she

58:28.457 --> 58:30.830
said 10,000 civilians were killed and

58:31.030 --> 58:33.197
it's not just what they were parroting

58:33.197 --> 58:35.580
and back there , it's literally what UN

58:35.590 --> 58:38.489
r parrots . And then when UN R parrots

58:38.500 --> 58:41.590
it , it's what Al Jazeera and New York

58:41.600 --> 58:43.822
Times and BBC and everybody else . It's

58:43.822 --> 58:45.878
what everybody else starts parroting

58:45.878 --> 58:48.100
and I'm gonna read to you directly from

58:48.100 --> 58:49.989
them , what they , what they want

58:49.989 --> 58:52.211
everybody to parrot . So accordingly uh

58:52.211 --> 58:54.211
to the uh Gaza Health Ministry . Uh

58:54.211 --> 58:56.378
9770 people have been killed . This is

58:56.378 --> 58:59.010
in Gaza , 70% were women , Children ,

58:59.020 --> 59:02.419
older persons , 24,158

59:02.530 --> 59:05.949
people injured , 2200 and 60 reported

59:05.959 --> 59:08.840
missing . The , you know , at 1.521

59:08.850 --> 59:12.520
families , 3100 and nine citizens and ,

59:12.530 --> 59:14.969
and they give very specific information .

59:15.340 --> 59:17.939
Do you notice anything glaringly

59:17.949 --> 59:20.060
missing from what I just mentioned to

59:20.060 --> 59:22.282
you from the , the Gaza Health Ministry

59:22.282 --> 59:24.505
report . Is there anything that strikes

59:24.505 --> 59:26.005
you as glaringly missing ?

59:28.629 --> 59:30.810
I'm sorry , I , I don't , I don't know

59:30.820 --> 59:32.931
what you're referring to combatants .

59:34.350 --> 59:36.517
They didn't mention the word combatant

59:36.517 --> 59:38.628
because they mingled them . Exactly .

59:38.628 --> 59:40.794
That's exactly the point . They , they

59:40.794 --> 59:42.906
expect the world to believe that that

59:42.906 --> 59:44.850
all these people and these , these

59:44.850 --> 59:46.794
groups that they're dividing up to

59:46.794 --> 59:49.159
families and older persons and Children ,

59:49.169 --> 59:51.280
which they can consider anybody under

59:51.280 --> 59:53.695
18 and women that , that none of them

59:53.705 --> 59:55.872
are combatants . That's what they want

59:55.872 --> 59:58.038
the world to believe . And that's what

59:58.038 --> 01:00:00.094
the United Nations goes out there in

01:00:00.094 --> 01:00:02.094
parrots . And that's what the media

01:00:02.094 --> 01:00:01.975
goes out there in parrots . So I wanna

01:00:02.185 --> 01:00:04.407
get to a few of those points because it

01:00:04.407 --> 01:00:06.463
leads to a circle that's going on in

01:00:06.463 --> 01:00:08.407
the circle is this . We all , this

01:00:08.407 --> 01:00:10.518
shouldn't be provocative to anybody .

01:00:10.518 --> 01:00:12.852
Hamas lies . Hamas and Palestinians lie .

01:00:12.852 --> 01:00:15.360
It's their government . Uh And uh you

01:00:15.370 --> 01:00:17.092
know , I've had a number of my

01:00:17.092 --> 01:00:19.259
colleagues that have agreed with me on

01:00:19.259 --> 01:00:19.030
Twitter that it's their government . Uh

01:00:19.060 --> 01:00:21.227
Even though they tried to c censure me

01:00:21.227 --> 01:00:23.282
on this . But uh you know , and then

01:00:23.282 --> 01:00:25.504
they say they lie but then they pretend

01:00:25.504 --> 01:00:27.671
everybody is a victim . And then after

01:00:27.671 --> 01:00:29.893
they say everybody's a victim , there's

01:00:29.893 --> 01:00:32.090
anti Semitic uh riots and terrorism .

01:00:32.419 --> 01:00:34.363
And then after that happens , then

01:00:34.363 --> 01:00:36.530
there's people members and others that

01:00:36.530 --> 01:00:38.752
call for cease fires in another country

01:00:38.752 --> 01:00:40.975
and things like this . So I want to ask

01:00:40.975 --> 01:00:42.863
a few questions on that . Are all

01:00:42.863 --> 01:00:44.363
combatants men in this war

01:00:49.090 --> 01:00:51.312
who are not on the ground and would not

01:00:51.312 --> 01:00:53.479
be they all ? Do you think they're all

01:00:53.479 --> 01:00:57.350
men ? Your dod ? You monitored

01:00:57.360 --> 01:00:59.693
Iraq and Afghanistan are all combatants ,

01:00:59.693 --> 01:01:02.429
men generally speaking , all combatants

01:01:02.439 --> 01:01:04.929
are not men . Thank you . Are they all

01:01:04.939 --> 01:01:06.010
over the age of 18

01:01:11.760 --> 01:01:14.659
broadly speaking , there are plenty of

01:01:14.669 --> 01:01:16.280
designated foreign terrorist

01:01:16.280 --> 01:01:18.750
organizations who use Children uh in ,

01:01:18.760 --> 01:01:20.871
in combat . Are they all young adults

01:01:20.871 --> 01:01:22.816
or some of them are older adults .

01:01:23.229 --> 01:01:25.340
Congressman . I'm not a lawyer . Ok .

01:01:25.340 --> 01:01:28.199
Are they all in , in Gaza are all

01:01:28.209 --> 01:01:29.580
combatants ? Hamas ?

01:01:31.929 --> 01:01:35.449
No . Are they only individuals that

01:01:35.459 --> 01:01:38.120
wear black hoods and , and green ,

01:01:38.790 --> 01:01:39.820
green headbands

01:01:42.370 --> 01:01:44.148
Hamas ? Just like any terrorist

01:01:44.148 --> 01:01:47.300
organization ? Not just Hamas , other

01:01:47.310 --> 01:01:49.477
organizations like Palestinian Islamic

01:01:49.477 --> 01:01:52.169
Jihad also , I'm sure don't only parade

01:01:52.179 --> 01:01:54.659
in the streets in identifiable , uh ,

01:01:54.669 --> 01:01:56.836
uniforms . That's right . And it's not

01:01:56.836 --> 01:01:58.891
just Hamas like you just mentioned .

01:01:58.891 --> 01:02:01.058
Now , when I brought this up , which I

01:02:01.058 --> 01:02:03.336
think is very important to bring up to ,

01:02:03.336 --> 01:02:05.391
to identify who's innocent and not a

01:02:05.391 --> 01:02:07.502
sin of which I absolutely acknowledge

01:02:07.502 --> 01:02:09.558
there are innocent people there even

01:02:09.558 --> 01:02:09.300
though again , that has been stripped

01:02:09.310 --> 01:02:10.977
from me from comments from my

01:02:10.977 --> 01:02:13.270
colleagues when I brought that up , my

01:02:13.280 --> 01:02:15.530
colleague up here who's missing . Now ,

01:02:15.610 --> 01:02:18.280
probably conveniently asked me if I was

01:02:18.290 --> 01:02:20.659
a member of the KKK and one of my

01:02:20.669 --> 01:02:22.613
colleagues over here also tried to

01:02:22.613 --> 01:02:24.790
censure me for distinguishing between

01:02:24.800 --> 01:02:27.022
innocent and non civilian and trying to

01:02:27.022 --> 01:02:29.244
actually look at who is and who isn't .

01:02:29.244 --> 01:02:31.411
And this is the big problem about that

01:02:31.411 --> 01:02:34.290
lie . That lie is actually worse than

01:02:34.300 --> 01:02:37.050
the Al Ali hospital bombing lie that

01:02:37.060 --> 01:02:39.116
was told by Rashida Talib in the New

01:02:39.116 --> 01:02:41.116
York Times and the associated press

01:02:41.116 --> 01:02:43.282
because that is a much more persistent

01:02:43.282 --> 01:02:45.860
lie that Hamas is begging .

01:02:45.879 --> 01:02:47.909
Palestinians are begging members of

01:02:47.919 --> 01:02:50.086
Congress to make , they're counting on

01:02:50.086 --> 01:02:53.199
the fact that people here won't try to

01:02:53.209 --> 01:02:55.560
distinguish that . It's not just Hamas

01:02:55.570 --> 01:02:58.135
terrorists . It's also Palestinians ,

01:02:58.145 --> 01:03:01.034
it's also women . It's also under 18 .

01:03:01.044 --> 01:03:03.364
It's also older people . And when they

01:03:03.375 --> 01:03:05.735
do that , they get that circle of lies

01:03:05.745 --> 01:03:07.912
where they think everybody thinks over

01:03:07.912 --> 01:03:09.967
there they're a victim and then they

01:03:09.967 --> 01:03:11.689
get the anti Semitic riots and

01:03:11.689 --> 01:03:13.856
terrorism and then they get the people

01:03:13.856 --> 01:03:16.078
calling for , for cease fires and , and

01:03:16.078 --> 01:03:18.294
for making them a second state and

01:03:18.304 --> 01:03:20.635
that's why that lie and , and these

01:03:20.645 --> 01:03:22.756
people unwilling to question that and

01:03:22.756 --> 01:03:24.923
yelling at me for questioning that are

01:03:24.923 --> 01:03:27.145
creating a much more persistent problem

01:03:27.145 --> 01:03:29.201
than even what Rashida Talib put out

01:03:29.201 --> 01:03:31.367
there . And I yield back . Gentleman's

01:03:31.367 --> 01:03:33.429
time is expired , uh , yields back .