Joe Biden: Hamas Commits Crimes That Make ISIS More Rational

US President Joe Biden with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu/PHOTO via Instagram @potus

JAKARTA - United States (US) President Joe Biden said the Palestinian militant group Hamas had committed atrocities that made ISIS look more rational.

Biden made the remarks to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of their bilateral meeting in Tel Aviv, Wednesday, October 18.

Biden is in Israel to show Washington's solidarity in the fight against Hamas.

"They have taken many people hostage, including children. You said: Imagine what the children were thinking hiding from Hamas. It's beyond my understanding to be able to imagine what they think," Biden said as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 18.

He issued the comment when delivering his statement with Netanyahu, as quoted from the official White House transcript.

"They (Hamas) - are committing crimes - and the atrocities that make ISIS look more rational," Biden said.

Biden also believes the explosion that killed hundreds of Palestinians in a hospital in Gaza did not appear to have been caused by Israel, but by its enemies.

"The point is, I am very sad and angry about the explosion at a hospital in Gaza yesterday. And based on what I saw, it looks like (the attack) was carried out by another team, not not you (Israel)," said the US president.

"But, there are a lot of people out there who are not sure," he said.

Israel bombing an Al-Ahli Arabian Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday (17/10) evening local time.

Palestinian officials blamed Israeli airstrikes for the explosion, which it said had killed 500 people.

Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Algeria, Lebanon, and Libya condemned Israel's attacks on the hospital.

Meanwhile, Israel said the explosion was caused by a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad militants, but the group denied it.

Biden said the United States would always stand with Israel and ensure its allies had what they needed to defend themselves.

"And I want to say to the Israeli people: their courage, their commitment, their courage are amazing. It's amazing. I'm proud to be here," said Biden.