Kamala Harris held what she described as a “frank and constructive meeting” with Benjamin Netanyahu in which the Vice President said she supported Israel’s right to defend itself but “how it does so matters”.
The Vice President and likely Democratic presidential nominee expressed concern over the “devastating” humanitarian situation in Gaza and images of civilians killed in the conflict, saying, “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies.”
“I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there,” she told reporters after the meeting. “I will not be silent.”
Their meeting came a day after the Israeli Prime Minister gave a fiery speech to Congress, in which he defended Israel’s attacks on Gaza, saying anti-Israel protesters “should be ashamed of themselves.” Harris did not attend his address.
Her remarks reflected what could be a shift from Joe Biden in how she deals with Netanyahu.
Netanyahu met separately earlier in the day with the US President, who has been calling on Israel and Hamas to come to an agreement on a US-backed, three-phase deal to bring home remaining hostages and establish an extended cease-fire.
It comes at a time of growing pressure in Israel and the US to find an endgame to the nine-month war which has left more than 39,000 dead in Gaza and some 1,200 dead in Israel. Dozens of Israeli hostages are still languishing in Hamas captivity.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said gaps remain between Israel and Hamas in the drive for a ceasefire but “we are closer now than we’ve been before.”
“Both sides have to make compromises,” he said.
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said: “I think the message from the American side in that meeting will be that we need to get this deal over the line.”
Biden and Netanyahu earlier met together with the families of American hostages held by Hamas. Representatives for the families told reporters after the meeting that they were hoping for a ceasefire deal that would bring the hostages home.
On Friday, Netanyahu will travel to Florida to meet Republican nominee Donald Trump.
The Gaza conflict has splintered the Democratic Party, and sparked months of protests at Biden events.
A drop in support among Arab-Americans could hurt Democratic chances in Michigan, one of a handful of states likely to decide the 5 November election.
Ahead of her meeting with Netanyahu on Thursday, Trump told a rally in North Carolina the Vice President was “totally against the Jewish people.”
However Harris has long spoken of her strong support for Israel.
The first overseas trip of her Senate career in early 2017 was to Israel, and one of her first acts in office was to introduce a resolution opposing a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israel.
She has also spoken of her personal ties to Israel, including memories of raising money as a child to plant trees in Israel, installing a mezuzah near the front door of the vice president’s residence in Washington, and her connections to pro-Israel groups including the conservative American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the liberal J Street.
Harris on Thursday said she was outraged that some protesters tagged areas near the US Capitol with pro-Hamas graffiti, expressed support for the militants, and burned a US flag at Union Station.
“Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation,” she said in a statement.
“I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way.”
With agencies