White House interns write to Biden to call for Gaza cease-fire
A group of more than 40 anonymous White House interns wrote to President Biden on Tuesday calling for the administration to support a permanent cease-fire in Gaza amid ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas.
“We, the undersigned Fall 2023 White House and Executive Office of the President interns, will no longer remain silent on the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people,” the interns wrote in the letter, which was first obtained and published by NBC News.
“We heed the voices of the American people and call on the Administration to demand a permanent ceasefire,” the interns wrote. “We are not the decision makers of today, but we aspire to be the leaders of tomorrow, and we will never forget how the pleas of the American people have been heard and thus far, ignored.”
The letter is signed by “40+” interns, though no names are used making it difficult to tell exactly how much support it had. The signees said they served in various offices, including the executive Office of the President, Office of the Vice President, Office of Science and Technology Policy and Office of the United States Trade Representative.
“While the Administration expressed support for the humanitarian pause, we maintain that anything other than a complete halt of Israel’s mass slaughter of innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip will simply not suffice,” they wrote.
A source familiar with the letter pushed back on its significance, saying it was organized by a woman named Thara Nagajaran who is not directly affiliated with the White House.
The source said a number of interns approached White House staff in recent days to indicate they were uncomfortable with how the letter was coming together.
“It was anonymous. I know this is a painful moment for multiple communities, and that many people have strong views and this conflict is personal for many people,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing with reporters. “So we’ve been clear about Israel’s right to defend itself…in accordance with the laws.”
Still, the letter from the White House interns is the latest example of the dilemma Biden is facing as he seeks to navigate the conflict in the Middle East in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks on Israel that killed roughly 1,200 people.
Biden has been steadfast in his support for Israel, arguing it has a right to defend itself and urging Congress to pass billions of dollars in aid for Israel in the fight against Hamas, the terrorist group that controls Gaza. He has in recent weeks publicly urged Israel to minimize civilian casualties amid growing concerns of the death toll in Gaza.
But some Democrats have been increasingly outspoken in their concerns about Israel’s campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 10,000 people, and have called for a cease-fire or for conditions to be put on aid to Israel.
Biden and his team have rejected calls for a cease-fire, instead supporting humanitarian pauses to allow food, water, medicine and fuel into Gaza and for civilians to safely get out. The pause has also allowed for the released of dozens of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7. White House officials have argued a cease-fire would allow Hamas to regroup and continue attacking Israel.
Updated at 3:55 p.m.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
