'Palestinians are not Hamas': Biden's post on social media draws response from some notable figures

Conversations on Gazan support and involvement with Hamas have also grown exponentially over the past few weeks, due to the imminent, but unclear ground operation expected to happen in Rafah.

 US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) and the Israeli war cabinet, as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023. (photo credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN)
US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) and the Israeli war cabinet, as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023.
(photo credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN)

"The overwhelming majority of Palestinians are not Hamas," said US President Biden in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday.

"I won't mince words. The overwhelming majority of Palestinians are not Hamas. And Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people. In fact, they're also suffering as a result of Hamas' terrorism. We need to be clear-eyed about that reality," said the president in his full post.

Over the course of the war there has been much discourse in Israel and around the world about how representative Hamas is of the Palestinians in Gaza, as well as how many Gazans support Hamas, or even how much of the death toll in Gaza is actually Hamas operatives.

Conversations on Gazan support and involvement with Hamas have also grown exponentially over the past few weeks, due to the imminent, but unclear ground operation that is expected to take place in Rafah.

Key figures respond to the president on social media

The president's post garnered responses from some public figures who didn't agree with his message.

New Knesset member Amichai Chikli  seen at the Knesset , ahead of the opening Knesset session of the new government, on April 05, 2021. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
New Knesset member Amichai Chikli seen at the Knesset , ahead of the opening Knesset session of the new government, on April 05, 2021. (credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)

Notably, Diaspora Affairs and Combatting Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli responded, saying "Dear Mr. President, The overwhelming majority of Palestinians express strong support for Hamas. In fact, a survey conducted by the Palestinian research institute AWRAD  revealed that 84% of respondents in the West Bank strongly endorsed the massacre and atrocities of Oct. 7."

Additionally, former Miss Iraq and current human rights advocate and ally to Israel, Sarah Idan, weighed in, saying, "Tell that to the Palestinians in my inbox telling me Hamas are heroes and are freedom fighters…"


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There were also pro-Palestinian commenters in the post who also had issue with the president's statement. One account commented, saying. "Why are you still arming Israel then?" and another saying, "Says the man that just vetoed another humanitarian ceasefire. How many is that now?"