Sen. Coons on the Israel War: Hamas Started This Conflict

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
RADDATZ: “So what does it mean for what happens next in this conflict? I’m joined now by democratic senator Chris Coons of Delaware. Good to see you this morning, senator. These huge bombs that the president is now pausing have already been used by the Israelis in Gaza causing massive destruction, civilian casualties, and yet the State Department report says there is not enough information to conclude they violated any international law. Are you satisfied with that conclusion?”

COONS: “Well, Martha, thanks for a chance to be on with you again. Let’s be clear about what that report also concludes, which is that because of how Hamas has conducted itself in this horrifying conflict that began with their tragic barbarous attack on 1,200 civilians in which they also killed 45 Americans on October 7th, because Hamas embeds its fighters and its war piles and its stockpiles underneath civilian targets, beneath hospitals and mosques and schools, the report by the State Department says it’s difficult to conclude whether the unacceptably high civilian death toll is because of Hamas and its strategies and tactics or because of Israel and how they’ve conducted this conflict. I do think it bears repeating every time we talk about this, that Hamas started this conflict and Hamas and their conduct has largely driven the humanitarian crisis.”