2024 presidential candidates on the Israel-Hamas War

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This page includes statements from the 2024 presidential candidates on the Israel-Hamas War. These statements were compiled from each candidate's official campaign website, editorials, speeches, and debates.

The candidates featured on this page are the noteworthy Democratic and Republican candidates in the 2024 presidential election. Only candidates who address this page's issue on their campaign website, in public statements, or in public speeches have a quote featured on this page. See something we missed? Email us. The active noteworthy presidential candidates are:

Kamala Harris (D)
Donald Trump (R)
Chase Oliver (L)
Jill Stein (G)

Israel-Hamas War

Democratic candidates

Joe Biden

Biden said in his March 7, 2024, State of the Union address, "Israel has a right to go after Hamas. Hamas could end this conflict today by releasing the hostages, laying down arms, and surrendering those responsible for October 7th. Israel has an added burden because Hamas hides and operates among the civilian population. But Israel also has a fundamental responsibility to protect innocent civilians in Gaza. This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined. [...] We’ve been working non-stop to establish an immediate ceasefire that would last for at least six weeks. It would get the hostages home, ease the intolerable humanitarian crisis, and build toward something more enduring." ^{[source, as of 2024-03-07]}

Kamala D. Harris

In a speech about her meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 25, 2024, Harris said, "I’ve said it many times, but it bears repeating: Israel has a right to defend itself, and how it does so matters. Hamas is a brutal terrorist organization. On October 7, Hamas triggered this war when it massacred 1,200 innocent people, including 44 Americans. Hamas has committed horrific acts of sexual violence and took 250 hostages. [...] I also expressed with the prime minister my serious concern about the scale of human suffering in Gaza, including the death of far too many innocent civilians. And I made clear my serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation there, with over 2 million people facing high levels of food insecurity and half a million people facing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity." Harris also said, "Let’s get the deal done so we can get a ceasefire to end the war. Let’s bring the hostages home. And let’s provide much-needed relief to the Palestinian people." ^{[source, as of 2024-07-25]}

Marianne Williamson

Williamson's campaign website said, "While it is often stated – incorrectly – that the goal of Israel is the extermination of the Palestinians, in fact the stated goal of Hamas is the extermination of the Jews. Clearly they are trying, and Israel cannot be expected not to respond. [...] As an American, and as a Jew, I stand with Israel. But I stand no less for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Republican candidates

Ryan Binkley

Binkley's campaign website said he would, “nurture our relationship with Israel, our most trusted ally in the Middle East.” ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Ron DeSantis

DeSantis' campaign website said, "DeSantis has unequivocally expressed support for Israel using overwhelming force for however long it takes to eradicate Iran-backed terrorists, including Hamas, and America should provide Israel with all the necessary resources to achieve victory.  DeSantis has blasted the false moral equivalence between Iran-backed terrorists attacking Israel and Israel's right and duty to act in self-defense and restore security for its citizens. DeSantis was the first presidential candidate to say no U.S. tax dollars in assistance to Gaza that will benefit Hamas." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-19]}

Nikki Haley

In an op-ed Haley wrote, "There should be no cease-fire. There should be peace — the peace that comes from Israel’s total victory over Hamas. Such a peace would leave both Israelis and Palestinians better off. And it would strike fear into the hearts of America’s enemies, fostering the broader peace that keeps Americans safe. America needs a president who will protect our people. We need a president who understands that protecting our people requires standing with our allies and standing up to our enemies. I will be that president. And we will emerge from this time of crisis stronger, safer and more secure. The first step is giving Israel everything it needs to wipe out Hamas." ^{[source, as of 2023-11-05]}

Asa Hutchinson

Hutchinson's campaign website listed the following policy, "Support Israel as they continue to eliminate terrorist organizations which threaten both Israel and the United States." ^{[source, as of 2023-12-21]}

Vivek Ramaswamy

In a Republican debate, Ramaswamy said, "The founding vision of Israel was based on the idea that they don’t want to depend on anybody else’s sympathy or direction in defending themselves. So what I would tell [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is that Israel has the right and the responsibility to defend itself. I would tell him to smoke those terrorists on his southern border and then I’ll tell him as President of the United States, I’ll be smoking the terrorists on our southern border. That’s his responsibility, this is our responsibility." ^{[source, as of 2023-11-08]}

Donald Trump

Trump said in an April 4, 2024, radio interview, "Look, [the October 7, 2023, attack on] Israel should have never happened. If I were president, it would not have happened. Iran was broke. They had no money. They had no nothing. And we would have worked, a deal with Iran would have been made already. In the meantime, they’re going to have a nuclear weapon within probably 45 or 60 days. And then, it’s going to be a little tougher to talk to them. But October 7th would have never happened. They never, ever would have been attacked. But it is what it is, and this horrible thing happened. And what I said very plainly is get it over with, and let’s get back to peace and stop killing people. And that’s a very simple statement. Get it over with. They’ve got to finish what they finish. They have to get it done. Get it over with, and get it over with fast, because we have to, you have to get back to normalcy and peace." ^{[source, as of 2024-04-04]}