The Biden administration has deleted a post on X from Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing support for a ceasefire following Hamas attacks on Israel. This marks the second post removed by the administration since the conflict began, with Hamas launching an unexpected attack from Gaza, leading to Israel declaring war on the militant group.
In the now-deleted post, Blinken mentioned a conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and encouraged Turkey’s advocacy for a ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas.
The post received criticism from various quarters, including Jonathan Schanzer, a senior vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who accused Blinken of participating in a “charade.” Political consultant Noah Pollak expressed strong disapproval of the administration’s call for a ceasefire.
Another post from an X account associated with the State Department’s U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs was also deleted after drawing controversy. The post condemned the Hamas attack and loss of life, urging all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory actions.
Officials have reported a significant number of casualties, including nearly 1,300 people killed, thousands wounded, and dozens believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas in Israel and Gaza.
President Joe Biden expressed his full support for Israel during a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu indicated the need for Israeli forces to enter Gaza, anticipating a long and difficult war against Hamas.
Senator Ted Cruz criticized the Biden administration for creating uncertainty through mixed messages from the State Department, stating that such ambiguity undermines Israel’s campaign against Gaza-based terrorists controlled by Iran and endangers the safety of both Israelis and Americans.