#Cruz: It’s ‘critical’ every American says America supports Israel 100 percent

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday said it is “critical” every American reinforces America’s “100 percent support” for Israel in its fight against Palestinian militant group Hamas.

“It’s critical right now that we stand together, that every American says, ‘America stands with Israel 100 percent period, full stop for as long as it takes to utterly and completely defeat Hamas,” Cruz said in an interview with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity.

Arguing the Biden administration needs to cut off funding to Gaza — which has been run by Hamas since 2007 — and Iran but rather fund Israel’s defensive weaponry, including the Iron Dome, which intercepts rockets being fired at Israel.

“Israel is going to be demonized by Democrats in the current corrupt corporate media, we need to make clear that Hamas is using human shields and Israel has a right to defend itself,” Cruz continued.

Fighting has raged in Israel and Gaza since Hamas, which is recognized as a terrorist group by the U.S. and a number of other governments, launched an onslaught of attacks on Israel last week that killed over 1,300 people, including hundreds of civilians in their homes, at a bus stop, and at a music festival. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim Hamas has also taken 199 people hostage.

Israeli forces quickly responded with a bombardment of Gaza that has killed over 3,400 Palestinians and injuring over 12,000, the Gaza Health Ministry reported. Israel also cut off the territory’s access to food, water and medicine and ordered the evacuation of over 1.1 million Palestinians to travel to the southern half of the territory last week in an announcement widely seen as anticipating a ground assault.

Many people in Gaza lack the ability to travel south, and Hamas has told residents not to leave and to stay in their homes. 

President Biden was quick to offer the U.S.’s “unwavering support” to Israel following Hamas’s surprise attack, and traveled to Tel Aviv this week to meet with Israeli leaders and families impacted by the conflict. Multiple sources familiar with the matter confirmed to The Hill the White House is preparing a supplemental funding request that would include billions in aid for Israel, Ukraine and border security.

Biden also announced an agreement Wednesday to allow humanitarian aid to move from Egypt to Gaza and confirmed $100 million in U.S. funding for assistance to civilians in Gaza and the West Bank.