It's important for Israel to negotiate to get back the hostages Hamas took during their October attacks, but aside from that, "Hamas has to be eliminated," Rep. Greg Murphy said on Newsmax Sunday.
"They don't deserve any respect or any attempt for peace," the North Carolina Republican told Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "You negotiate and get [back] the hostages, but other than that, Hamas has to be eliminated."
Hamas Sunday morning released a new group of 13 Israeli hostages and five other foreigners, according to Egypt's Al Qahera TV.
The third wave of hostages set to be released Sunday could include Americans. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC's "Meet the Press" that there is "reason to believe" an American girl, Abigail Edan, 4, was on a list of those potentially to be released. News broke later that she was, indeed, released.
Murphy, meanwhile, said that hostage-taking is nothing new in the Middle East, where during war, "they take hostages and then they exchange them."
But this time it's different because when Hamas raided Israel, the terrorists "came in and slaughtered babies," said Murphy, adding that he's seen videos of horrific actions.
"They ripped the baby out of a woman who was alive and killed the baby in front of them," said Murphy.
Meanwhile, he said that the response to Hamas must be strong.
"They're intent on eliminating, killing you," said Murphy. "What would you do? Would you say, OK? This is where the woke ideology and the military just is so far off base. We feel like if we're nice to everybody, then they'll be nice."
But people like the Hamas terrorists "only understand strength," said Murphy.
"They only understand power," he added. "This started with the Obama administration and it continues with the Biden administration, [which] has led to such fertile ground for these types of occurrences to happen."
The congressman also Sunday dismissed suggestions from President Joe Biden earlier this week that Hamas launched its attack on Israel because of his work with Saudi Arabia and others in the region to recognize Israel.
"Nothing that comes out of that guy's mouth is truthful," said Murphy. "He's trying to take credit for something that never happened."
The Saudis, Murphy said, were trying to continue the Abraham Accords reached under former President Donald Trump.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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