President Biden facing growing pressure on support for Israel

WASHINGTON (TND) — Even in a war filled with horrifying scenes, the horrors of Israel's attack on a refugee camp for displaced people on Sunday have been particularly gruesome. Those on the ground described the scene in Rafah as "hell on earth."

At least 50 were killed and 250 injured, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, in a war where officials said many are now dying of disease and malnutrition.

“There’s a moral cost to the numbers of civilians that are dying inside of Gaza, but when you continue to withhold food and aid from the people, that ultimately makes these terrorists stronger," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said in an interview on CBS's "Face the Nation."

The latest attack has brought blowback to President Biden, who has largely supported Israelvocally, financially and militarily.

“I’ve made it clear that if they go into Rafah — they haven’t gone into Rafah yet — if they go into Rafah, I’m not supplying the weapons that have been used historically to deal with Rafah, to deal with the cities, to deal with the problem," Biden said in a May 8 interview with CNN.

Progressive lawmakers are calling for accountability and the White House to follow through.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, areboth calling for President Biden to suspend military aid to Israel.

Others, including those involved in the “uncommitted” movement to send Biden a message at the ballot box, are warning his support for Israel could cost him his re-election.

“The International Court of Justice just ruled that Israel must stop its invasion of Rafah but, President Biden says what’s happening in Gaza is not a genocide," saidRep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.

She added, "We're not going to forget in November.”

Tlaib spoke Saturday at the People's Conference for Palestine, which featured other speakerslinked to the "Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine" (PFLP). The group isdesignated by the State Department as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Her speech has drawn criticism from her colleagues.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.,posted on X that she "should be removed from Congress immediately."

The U.S. State Department said at this point the attacks in Rafah have not risen to the level of a full-scale military operation and therefore have not crossed a red line.