Harris rules out Israel arms embargo: 'Israel has a right to defend itself'

WASHINGTON

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday staunchly ruled out the possibility that she would institute an American arms embargo on Israel as it continues to wage a devastating war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

"I'm unequivocal and unwavering in my commitment to Israel's defense and its ability to defend itself, and that's not going to change," Harris said during her first interview since she became the Democratic nominee for president.

"I say today, Israel has a right to defend itself. We would, and how it does so matters."

Pressed on whether she would support a change in US policy that would affect military assistance, Harris said simply: "No."

She acknowledged that "far too many innocent Palestinians have been killed," an apparent reference to the death toll in Gaza that has eclipsed 40,000, the vast majority of whom have been women and children.

The true death toll is feared to be considerably higher as many bodies remain trapped in the sprawling rubble fields that have resulted from Israeli bombardment. More than 92,740 other Palestinians have been injured over the course of the war, now in its tenth month, according to official figures.

Nearly all of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been displaced.

"We have got to get a deal done. We were in Doha. We have to get a deal done. This war must end, and we must get a deal that is about getting the hostages out. I've met with the families of the American hostages. Let's get the hostages out. Let's get the cease-fire done," she said.

"A deal is not only the right thing to do to end this war but will unlock so much of what must happen next. I remain committed since I've been on Oct. 8 to what we must do to work toward a two-state solution where Israel is secure, and in equal measure, the Palestinians have security and self-determination and dignity," she added.

Israel has continued its sweeping offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack led by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year that killed an estimated 1,139 people. Around 250 others were taken back to the coastal enclave as hostages. Over 100 remain there.

Israel faces accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered a halt to military operations in the southern city of Rafah. The order has gone unheeded, however.