In a heartfelt address delivered on Saturday, Vice President Harris expressed her condolences for the Palestinians who lost their lives during a successful Israeli hostage rescue operation in Gaza over the weekend. The operation, carried out by Israeli forces, retrieved four hostages who had been taken by Hamas on October 7.

Speaking before the Michigan Democratic Party, Vice President Harris celebrated the safe retrieval of the hostages, but focused on lamenting the deaths of Palestinians killed in the operation. She acknowledged the tragedy, stating, "We mourn all of the innocent lives that have been lost in Gaza, including those tragically killed today."

Hamas-run authorities in Gaza claim that over 270 Palestinians were killed in the Israeli operation. Israeli forces, however, claim that the number of casualties was fewer than 100 and emphasize that many of those killed were militants. The exact number of innocent lives lost remains unknown, but the White House National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, confirmed that innocent people were tragically killed during the operation.

Vice President Harris reiterated the U.S. commitment to working towards bringing an end to the conflict, ensuring Israel's security, and ending the suffering for the Palestinian people. She echoed President Biden's recent statement that it is time for the war to end.

Israeli forces maintain that Hamas intentionally placed the hostages in civilian environments, inside civilian buildings, and that even those holding the hostages were considered civilians. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pointed out that Hamas has been using civilians as shields, making the task of rescuing hostages more challenging and putting innocent lives at risk.

The United States is not currently able to provide a definitive statement on the exact death toll, but Sullivan emphasized the tragic loss of innocent lives. He stated, "Every day that we see more innocent people lost is another horrible, awful, tragic day."

As the situation continues to unfold, efforts are being made to ensure that Israel remains secure while also addressing the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people. The focus now lies on bringing an end to the conflict and preventing further loss of innocent lives.