On anniversary of Oct 7 attack, Biden administration condemns antisemitism; calls for ceasefire in Gaza, ‘political solution’ in Lebanon

United States President Joe Biden released a statement on the one-year anniversary of the October 7th Hamas massacres, calling it “the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.” 

Biden’s statement called attention to the holiday of Simchat Torah, the end of the festive celebration of Sukkot on Oct. 7, 2023, which he noted "was supposed to be a joyous Jewish holiday."

The U.S. president said that this day marks a year of mourning for “1,200 innocent people of all ages, including 46 Americans, massacred in southern Israel by the terrorist group Hamas.” 

“One year since Hamas committed horrific acts of sexual violence.  One year since more than 250 innocents were taken hostage, including 12 Americans. One year for the survivors carrying wounds, seen and unseen, who will never be the same. And one year of a devastating war.” 

Biden's statement noted the “painful memories left by millennia of hatred and violence against the Jewish people,” but did not directly link the attacks to the Islamic antisemitism that contributed to the massacre.

His statement also noted “the vicious surge in antisemitism in America and around the world” that arose after the Oct. 7 attacks but made no mention of any connection between the rise in antisemitic incidents in the West and Palestinian protest groups.

Biden did say that Oct. 7 is “a dark day for the Palestinian people” due to the Gaza War provoked by the Hamas atrocities. 

“Far too many civilians have suffered far too much during this year of conflict — and tens of thousands have been killed, a human toll made far worse by terrorists hiding and operating among innocent people,” the president stated. 

He said that the U.S. administration “will not stop working to achieve a ceasefire deal in Gaza that brings the hostages home, allows for a surge in humanitarian aid to ease the suffering on the ground, assures Israel’s security, and ends this war.” 

“Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity, and peace,” Biden added.

Biden also said his administration believes “a diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border region is the only path to restore lasting calm and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes.” 

'Notably, Biden said little about the connection between Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian regime. While he mentioned U.S. assistance following the Iranian missile attack, his statement omitted the year-long Hezbollah bombardment of northern Israel with Iranian-supplied missiles, which triggered Israel's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“On this day of remembrance, which also falls during the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, we honor the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people and mourn the victims of October 7th. May their memory be a blessing.” 

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris also released a statement for the first anniversary of the Hamas massacres, saying she would “never forget the horror of October 7, 2023.” 

“What Hamas did that day was pure evil – it was brutal and sickening,” Harris stated. 

Harris said the massacre of Oct. 7 “rekindled a deep fear among the Jewish people not just in Israel, but in the United States and around the world.” 

Saying that "the long, extraordinary arc of Jewish history is full of pogroms and prejudice, slaughter, and separation," Harris’ statement continued, “In our own generation, there is another moment that the world must never forget.”

Her statement also contained stronger statements about the Hamas threat, both to Israelis and Palestinians. 

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that the threat Hamas poses is eliminated, that it is never again able to govern Gaza, that it fails in its mission to annihilate Israel, and that the people of Gaza are free from the grip of Hamas,” she said in her statement. 

Harris mentioned the remaining American-Israeli hostages by name, saying she would “never stop fighting for the release of all the hostages.” 

Like Biden, Harris claimed her "commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering,” saying she would “always ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists like Hamas.” 

Harris, like Biden, called for a ceasefire, noting that she is “heartbroken over the scale of death and destruction in Gaza over the past year – tens of thousands of lives lost, children fleeing for safety over and over again.” 

“It is far past time for a hostage and ceasefire deal to end the suffering of innocent people,” she stated. 

Harris claimed she would “always fight for the Palestinian people to be able to realize their right to dignity, freedom, security, and self-determination,” while also calling for a “diplomatic solution across the Israel-Lebanon border region” as the “only path to restore lasting calm and allow residents on both sides to return safely to their homes.” 

In her closing remarks, Harris referred to the Jewish prayer of mourning, the Kaddish, which is recited at funerals and to honor the dead.

“The words of the Kaddish, however, are not about death. The prayer is about still believing in God and still having faith,” she stated. “ I know that is difficult amidst so much trauma and pain. But it is with that spirit that I commemorate this solemn day. We will not forget, and we will not lose faith.”