VP Harris calls for Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal at DNC

Shafaq News/ On Thursday night, Vice President Kamala Harris urged a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage deal in her speech at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.

"President Biden and I are working to end this war such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realise their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination," Harris said.

The Vice President addressed the plight of civilians in Gaza, saying what has happened "over the past 10 months is devastating". "So many innocent lives lost – desperate, hungry people fleeing for safety, over and over again, the scale of suffering is heartbreaking.”

Nevertheless, she affirmed Israel's right to protect itself, stating, "I will always ensure Israel has the ability to defend itself.”

Recent ceasefire talks in Doha with Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediators were described as "serious and constructive," with the US outlining a new framework reportedly proposed by Israel. However, Hamas swiftly rejected what it termed as "new conditions" from Israel, including the presence of Israeli troops inside Gaza near the border with Egypt, Israel's veto power over Palestinian prisoners to be exchanged, and the potential deportation of some prisoners instead of returning them to Gaza. New discussions are set for Cairo amid rising international pressure.

On October 7, Israel launched a major offensive against Gaza following an operation by Hamas, which was a reaction to intensified Israeli actions against Palestinians.

Since then, at least 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly children and women, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.