Muslim activists expressed their discontent with President Joe Biden’s handling of the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza during a closed-door meeting that saw one guest walk out in protest.
The White House held a private gathering where Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and national security leaders met with six Muslim American community leaders on Tuesday.
The meeting was initially planned to be an Iftar dinner to break the Ramadan fast but was changed to a meeting because attendees were uncomfortable celebrating with the president.
One doctor told NBC News when she showed the president photos she had taken on her phone of malnourished children and women in Gaza, Biden responded he had seen the photos before.
‘This speaks volumes to the dismissive nature of the administration when it comes to strong-willed action towards a permanent cease-fire or, at a bare minimum, a red line on the invasion of Rafah,’ said Dr. Nahreen H. Ahmed.
Muslim activists expressed their discontent with President Joe Biden ‘s handling of the ongoing Israeli war in Gaza during a closed door meeting on Tuesday
One doctor said when she showed the president photos she had taken on her phone of malnourished children and women in Gaza, Biden responded he had seen the photos before
Other guest who had been invited reportedly decline to attend out of protest of the administrations support of Israel
More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since the Hamas attack of October 7, which killed 1,200
Shortly after the meeting began, Dr. Thaer Ahmad, an emergency physician from Chicago who has volunteered in Gaza, announced that he was walking out in protest.
Ahmad told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins the rhetoric coming from the White House was frustrating to listen to as the Palestinians were suffering as a result of the war.
His goal, he said, was to get Biden to understand what it was like to hear someone and have them walk away without hearing their response.
‘He actually said he understood,’ Ahmad said.
He gave the president a letter from an eight-year-old orphaned girl living in Rafah, begging Biden to stop Israel from invading Rafah.
‘I let him know out of respect for my community, I’m going to leave,’ he said he told the president, adding that his community was ‘reeling’ and ‘grieving’ as a result of the war.
Salima Suswell, founder of the Black Muslim Leadership Council, shared how she heard Joe Biden telling other attendees about his wife’s wishes.
The exchange unfolded after another of the guests told the president that his wife disapproved of his attendance due to Biden’s support for Israel’s airstrikes, The New York Times reported
Biden reportedly replied that he understood, stating that the First Lady has been urging him to ‘Stop it, stop it now,’ according to Suswell.
The Muslim leader said she was so struck by hearing Jill Biden’s view on the matter that she scribbled down the president’s comments.
The White House appeared to corroborate the exchange, saying that Biden is as ‘outraged’ by the civilian casualties as his wife.
Dr. Thaer Ahmad (pictured), an emergency physician from Chicago who has volunteered in Gaza, walked out of the meeting in protest
Salima Suswell, founder of the Black Muslim Leadership Council, said during the meeting the president revealed his wife, Jill Biden, has begged him to end civilian deaths in Gaza
Sources told NBC News that Biden told attendees he will not call for a permanent cease-fire between Israel and Hamas until all the remaining hostages are released.
Other guests who had been invited reportedly declined to attend, underscoring the tensions between the administration and the Muslim and Arab American communities.
More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes since the Hamas attack of October 7, which killed 1,200.
Most recently, the IDF killed seven aid workers including US-Canadian citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33.
The president is due to speak to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to a senior administration source.