U.S. Vice President JD Vance has dismissed claims that Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza, while acknowledging the deep emotional toll the conflict is taking especially on children.
In a recent appearance on the This Past Weekend with Theo Von podcast, Vance reacted to graphic visuals from the warzone, which Von called “horrific.” Vance responded, “I see these videos, I see the pictures, and it’s very heartbreaking.”
He described the situation as complex and tragic on both sides: “On the one hand, you’ve got innocent Palestinians, and innocent Israeli hostages, caught up in this terrible violence. On the other side, Israel is attacked by a terrible terrorist organization.”
Vance emphasized that the Trump administration stands firm on providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians, while also backing Israel’s right to self-defense. “What we’re trying to do is get to a peaceful resolution that gives Israel confidence Hamas won’t attack them again, while also getting as much aid and support to Palestinians as possible,” he said.
He avoided proposing a long-term political fix but called out extremes on both sides of the debate. “I’ve seen people on the left who completely ignore innocent Israelis killed in the Hamas terrorist attack,” he said.
“And some on the right who ignore the suffering of innocent Palestinian kids. If you have a soul, your heart should break when you see a little kid who’s suffering.”
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Von challenged the U.S. government’s role, accusing it of aiding a “genocide” by supplying weapons to Israel. Vance disagreed strongly. “Here’s the reason why I don’t think it’s genocide: I don’t think the Israelis are purposely trying to go in and murder every Palestinian. They got hit hard, and they’re trying to destroy a terrorist organization. War is hell.”
He also defended Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who’s faced criticism from within Republican and pro-Israel circles. According to Vance, the administration’s main goals are clear: “Stop the conflict, eliminate the source of the conflict, and bring peace and humanitarian assistance to people who desperately need it.”
Although the U.S. has backed Israel’s refusal of a permanent ceasefire, Vance said efforts continue to negotiate a temporary truce. So far, progress has stalled over Hamas rejecting the terms.
Wrapping up, he turned his attention to the current administration. “What people should demand is that if our tax dollars are going to something, we should be actively trying to fix it.”