THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon.
You see, there are times in life - and I mean that literally - when pure, unadulterated evil comes out into this world.
The people of Israel had one such moment over the weekend. The bloody hands of the Hamas terrorist organisation - a group whose stated purpose for existence is to kill Jews.
It was an act of pure evil.
More than 1,000 civilians have been slaughtered - not just killed, slaughtered - in Israel. Among them, at least 14 American citizens killed.
Massacred parents who tried to protect their children with their bodies.
Stomach turning reports of baby killing.
Killing entire families.
Young people massacred while attending a music festival to celebrate peace - to celebrate peace.
Women raped, assaulted, displayed as trophies.
Families hid their fear for hours and hours, desperately trying to keep their children quiet so as not to attract attention.
And the thousands of wounded who remained alive, but carry with them bullet holes and shrapnel and memories of what they experienced.
You all know that these traumas never go away.
There are still so many families desperately waiting to hear the fate of their loved ones, not knowing whether they are alive, dead or hostages.
Babies in their mothers' arms, grandparents in wheelchairs, Holocaust survivors kidnapped and held hostage - hostages who are now threatened with execution by Hamas in defiance of all codes of human morality.
It's disgusting.
The brutality of Hamas - this bloodlust - is reminiscent of the worst - the worst rampages of ISIS.
This is terrorism.
But unfortunately, this is nothing new for the Jewish people.
This attack brought to the surface painful memories and scars left by millennia of anti-Semitism and genocide of the Jewish people.
So at this point we need to be absolutely clear: We are on Israel's side. We stand with Israel. And we will ensure that Israel has everything it needs to take care of its citizens, to defend itself and to respond to this attack.
Terrorism cannot be justified. There is no excuse.
Hamas does not uphold the right of the Palestinian people to dignity and self-determination. Its stated aim is the destruction of the State of Israel and the murder of the Jewish people.
It uses Palestinian civilians as human shields.
Hamas offers nothing but terror and bloodshed, no matter who pays the price.
The loss of innocent lives is heartbreaking.
Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right - indeed, the obligation - to respond to these atrocities.
I just finished my third phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I told him that if the United States were to experience what Israel is experiencing, our response would be swift, decisive and overwhelming.
We also talked about how democracies like Israel and the United States are stronger and safer when we act in accordance with the rule of law.
Terrorists are targeting and killing civilians. We abide by the laws of war - the law of war. That's what matters. It makes a difference.
Americans across the country are praying today for all the families that have been separated. Many of us know what it is like. When you lose family, it leaves a black hole in your chest and you feel sucked in. The anger, the pain, the sense of hopelessness.
This is what is meant by "human tragedy" - an atrocity of horrific proportions.
But we will continue to stand united in our support for the people of Israel, who are suffering unspeakable losses, and to oppose the hatred and violence of terrorism.
My team has been in almost constant communication with our Israeli partners and partners throughout the region and the world since this crisis began.
We're sending additional military assistance, including ammunition and interceptors to supplement the Iron Dome system.
We will ensure that Israel does not run out of these critical resources to defend its cities and citizens.
My administration has worked closely with Congress throughout this crisis. And when Congress returns, we will ask it to take urgent action to fund the national security requirements of our critical partners.
This is not about party or politics. This is about the security of our world, the security of the United States of America.
We now know that American citizens are among those detained by Hamas.
I have directed my team to share intelligence and deploy additional experts from across the United States government to consult and advise our Israeli counterparts in hostage recovery efforts because, as President, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans held hostage around the world.
The United States has also reinforced its military forces in the region to strengthen our deterrence.
The Department of Defense moved the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean and increased our fighter presence. And we stand ready to redeploy additional assets if necessary.
Let me repeat - to any country, to any organisation, to anyone thinking of taking advantage of this situation, I have one word: Don't do it. Don't do it.
We may be heartbroken, but our resolve is clear.
Yesterday I also spoke to the leaders of the
France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom to discuss the latest developments with our European allies and coordinate our joint response.
This includes days of ongoing collaboration with partners across the region.
We're taking steps at home. In cities across the United States, police departments have stepped up security around centers of Jewish life.
And the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are working closely with state and local law enforcement and Jewish community partners to identify and disrupt any domestic threat that may emerge in connection with these horrific attacks.
This is a moment for the United States to come together to mourn with those who mourn.
Let's be clear: There is no place for hate in America - not against Jews, not against Muslims, not against anyone. We reject - we reject - what we reject is terrorism. We condemn indiscriminate evil, just as we have always done.
This is what America stands for.
You know, more than 50 years ago - I was thinking about this this morning, talking to the secretary of state, the vice president in his office, and - more than 50 years ago, I visited Israel for the first time as a young senator, as a newly elected senator.
And I had a long, long journey - or meeting with Golda Meir in her office just before the Yom Kippur War. And I think she saw the horror on my face as she described what they were facing - they were facing.
We went out in that - in that - that hallway outside her office to get some pictures. She looked at me and she - all of a sudden and said, "Would you like a picture?" And so I got up and followed her.
We stood there quietly and watched the press. She could tell I was worried, I think. She leaned over and whispered to me - she said, "Don't worry, Senator Biden. We have a secret weapon here in Israel" - that's my word she said - "We have nowhere to go." "We have nowhere else to go."
For 75 years, Israel has been the supreme guarantor of the security of the Jewish people worldwide, so that the atrocities of the past can never be repeated.
And let there be no doubt: the United States has Israel's back.
We will ensure that the Jewish and democratic State of Israel can defend itself today, tomorrow, as always. It's as simple as that.
These atrocities were disgusting.
We are - we are with Israel. Let's not make a mistake.
Thank you. Thank you.
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