Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) lashed out at the media for their slanted coverage of the Israel-Palestinian conflict Thursday, blaming the terrorist group Hamas for the continuing violence and mass casualties.
"Please don’t…say that both sides are to blame here – that’s not true. This crisis would end tomorrow if Hamas would turn over its rockets and stop bombarding people," Rubio said.
Rubio called Hamas commanders "cowards" for hiding in the basement of their command center while they ask their people to fight.
He continued, "Don't tell me both sides are to blame here because it's not true. It isn't true. This is the result of one thing and one thing alone: Hamas has decided to launch rockets against Israel."
The ongoing violence and civilian deaths are the doings of Hamas, Rubio said. "Hamas is asking their people to do what their leader themselves won't do, asking their own people to get in harm's way, to act as human shields because they want these images to be spread around the world…I think it is absolutely outrageous that some in the press corps domestically, and most of the press corps internationally, is falling for this game," Rubio said.
He added, "So, Mr. Ambassador, what I would ask of you is that you go back to your government and you ask them to separate completely from Hamas, to condemn what Hamas is doing to your own people, to condemn the use of human shields."
He closed by expressing his desire for the United States to support Israel.
"I hope the United States continues to be firmly on the side of Israel, because there is no moral equivalency here," Rubio said. "What is happening between Israel and Hamas is totally 100 percent the fault of Hamas. There is no moral equivalency here. All of the blame lies on Hamas."