US Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Tuesday called for an end to the Israel-Gaza conflict, emphasizing that Israel should not reoccupy the Palestinian territory once the nearly year-long war concludes.
Addressing the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia, Harris advocated for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a two-state solution, and regional stability that does not empower Iran. She stressed the importance of resolving the conflict in a way that benefits all parties in the region.
Read more: Kamala Harris Challenges Trump in Heated Debate, Putting Him on the Defensive
The ongoing war, which began on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, has resulted in 41,252 deaths and 95,497 injuries in Gaza, according to the Gaza health ministry. The initial Hamas assault killed 1,200 people and led to the capture of around 250 hostages, as per Israeli reports.
During the event, Harris also addressed misinformation surrounding Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, where false claims about them eating household pets spread on social media. Former president Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations of Haitian immigrants if re-elected, despite most residing in the U.S. legally. Harris condemned these statements as harmful and hateful.
The 45-minute interview also touched on economic concerns, with Harris committing to expanding housing supply through private investment and reiterating her plan to increase the child tax credit to $6,000. She also vowed to cap childcare costs at 7% of household income. This appearance followed her absence from the group’s July convention in Chicago, where Trump questioned her Black identity in an interview.
Harris, Trump Court Black Voters
In the 2020 presidential election, Black voters overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden over Donald Trump, with a 92% to 8% split, according to Pew Research Center. Recent data from an NAACP survey shows that 63% of Black voters plan to support Kamala Harris, while only 13% favor Trump.
However, some Black voters are becoming disillusioned with the Democratic Party. The NAACP poll indicates that over 25% of younger Black men might support Trump this election. Harris acknowledged this shift, stating, “Black men are like any other voting group. You gotta earn their vote.”
The interview was conducted by NABJ members from TheGrio and Politico, and an anchor from WHYY-FM. Both Harris and Trump are actively courting Black voters, who could be pivotal in the closely contested November 5 election, particularly in key battleground states like Pennsylvania and Georgia. Pennsylvania is seen as essential for victory, while Georgia’s significant Black voter population—making up one-third of the state’s electorate—is a major focus.
Trump’s efforts to gain Black voter support are hindered by their historical loyalty to the Democratic Party, his past racist comments, and a history of Republican-backed voting restrictions, which activists argue disproportionately affect Black voters. Republicans, however, deny any attempts to suppress voting.
