Biden was speaking to about 200 people when the heckler shouted:
"As a rabbi, I need you to call for a ceasefire right now."
Biden responded: "I think we need a pause. A pause means give
time to get the prisoners out."
The White House later clarified that Biden was referring to the
hostages - not prisoners - held by Hamas after its Oct. 7 attack
on Israel in which 1,400 people were killed and more than 200
taken hostage.
Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas and has retaliated with
bombardments of Gaza and a ground offensive in the besieged
coastal enclave.
The White House has previously said it supports a "humanitarian
pause" to allow aid deliveries to Gaza and the release of
hostages.
Biden has thrown his support behind Israel - and visited the
country last month - but he has shifted his response in recent
weeks as the humanitarian situation worsens in Gaza and the
civilian death toll rises.
At a congressional hearing on Tuesday, two of Biden's top
advisers were interrupted repeatedly by protesters denouncing
American officials for backing what they called "genocide"
against Palestinians in Gaza.
Biden's heckler on Wednesday, who told reporters that her name
was Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg, was escorted out by security while
singing "ceasefire now." Biden went on to say that he
understands the emotions around the conflict in the Middle East.
"This is incredibly complicated for the Israelis. It's
incredibly complicated for the Muslim world as well ... I
supported a two-state solution; I have from the very beginning,”
he said. "The fact of the matter is that Hamas is a terrorist
organization. A flat-out terrorist organization."
The Gaza health ministry says at least 8,796 Palestinians in the
narrow coastal enclave, including 3,648 children, have been
killed by Israeli strikes since Oct. 7. The Hamas-run government
said at least 195 Palestinians died in Israel's attacks on the
Jabalia refugee camp on Wednesday.
(Reporting By Jarrett Renshaw and Andrea Shalal; Editing by
Michael Perry)
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