(NewsNation) — Former staffers of former President Barack Obama are criticizing President Joe Biden’s handling of Israel’s war against Hamas.
On Oct. 7, Hamas militants stormed Israeli communities, killing more than 1,200 people and capturing around another 240. The assault prompted a major retaliatory bombing campaign and ground invasion of Gaza.
The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry says close to 22,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed. Humanitarian organizations have said not enough aid is being allowed in for civilians, and Israel has faced criticism about how it is conducting its military operations.
Biden has remained a staunch advocate of military support for Israel and proposed $14 billion in aid and weapons, angering some within his party.
Tommy Vietor, who served as Obama’s assistant press secretary and National Security Council spokesman, shared in a post on X a Mother Jones article with an excerpt about the mounting death toll in Gaza.
“In the early days of the war, Biden underscored the scale of the Hamas attack by saying it was equivalent to 15 9/11s for a nation of Israel’s size. The equivalent figure for Gaza, where more than 20,000 people have been killed, is now approaching 900,” the excerpt read.
Jon Favreau, who served as Obama’s director of speechwriting, also took to X to comment on U.S. arms shipments to Israel. He shared a post by Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid reporting on Israel’s national security minister criticizing Biden.
“By all means, let’s send this government more money and weapons without delay,” Favreau wrote. “What on Earth are we doing here.”
The comments were first reported by Newsweek.
They come as an apparent Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hamas political leader in Lebanon on Tuesday, raising fears that the conflict could expand.
Saleh Arouri, who was the most senior Hamas figure killed since the war with Israel began, was also a founder of the group’s military wing. His death could provoke major retaliation by Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
