Senator Cruz, Congressman Veasey say Israel will need time to eradicate Hamas terrorist organization
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Since Saturday, United States Senator Ted Cruz has condemned the Hamas terror attacks on Israel.
"This is the worst attack on Israel in over 50 years," he said. "It is absolute brutality. What we're seeing is death squads literally going from home to home murdering women, murdering children, murdering elderly people, decapitating infants. It is horrific and unspeakable."
Sen. Cruz attended the community event in Dallas Tuesday night to show support for Israel.
Congressman Marc Veasey of Fort Worth sent his staff to this event and a similar one in Fort Worth.
"We stand in solidarity with Israel, and we stand against the atrocities that were committed by these Hamas terrorists to let them know that that's never OK in unequivocal terms," he said.
They both said Israel needs time to eradicate Hamas.
"I ask the American public to have patience with both Israel and the United States helping Israel," said Veasey. "It's not going to be easy. It's going to be costly, but in order to maintain peace in the Middle East, it's necessary."
Cruz said, "Israel is at war right now and America stands strongly with Israel and that's where we should be."
Both he and Veasey accuse Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields.
"They are absolutely going to use people and again—hospitals and schools and housing—as shields," Veasey said.
Cruz said the reason there will be Palestinian casualties is because "Hamas wants dead Palestinians."
In Israel Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stressed the need to protect innocent lives.
Cruz emphasized Israel has a record of trying to keep innocent civilians from being hurt.
"There's no military on earth that goes to greater lengths to avoid civilian casualties than Israeli Defense Forces," he said. "They have the cell phones of every person in Gaza. They are texting people saying if you're a civilian, if you're not a combatant, avoid these places, evacuate these places, these are military targets, don't be here."
The U.S. government and the Council On Foreign Relations have both said Iran provides training and money to Hamas so the terrorist organization can buy weapons.
CBS News reported Thursday that the U.S. has reached a "quiet understanding" with Qatar not to release any of the $6 billion in Iranian oil revenues that was unfrozen by the Biden administration as part of the prisoner swap last month.
Cruz criticized the decision, saying, "At the time I said that was a terrible decision because they were effectively placing a bounty on the head of every American."
When asked if it was a mistake by the administration to unfreeze the $6 billion, Veasey said, "I was never really a big fan of them getting the $6 billion."
CBS News Texas interviewed Veasey after the announcement Thursday and he said he agreed with the decision. "It would not make any sense at all to give them that money."
Watch Jack Finks full interview with both Cruz and Veasey below: