US President Joe Biden privately apologized to a group of Muslim Americans for expressing ‘excessive skepticism’ regarding the Palestinian death toll provided by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Biden, 81, met with five community figureheads, including Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and health-care advocate Suzanne Barakat. The meeting, initiated due to Biden’s public dismissal of the Palestinian death toll, reportedly exceeded the scheduled time by 30 minutes.
During the press conference on October 25, Biden remarked, ‘I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed.’ The subsequent meeting with Muslim leaders aimed to address concerns about Biden’s comments and press for a ceasefire.
According to a participant, Biden apologized, saying, ‘I’m sorry. I’m disappointed in myself. I will do better.’ The attendees emphasized their disagreement with disputing the Palestinian death toll, with one stating, ‘Palestinians are dying. We’re not okay with the numbers of their dead being disputed.’
Keith Ellison noted that community leaders conveyed to Biden the increased risk of Islamophobic attacks in the US due to the suffering of innocent Gazans during the conflict. Biden, in response, expressed empathy, compassion, and a commitment to act on that empathy.
The President and his officials have engaged with various Muslim, Palestinian, and Arab American groups amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, aiming to address concerns and foster understanding.
