Rep. Kevin McCarthy told Newsmax on Sunday that the Islamic Resistance Movement, a terrorist group also known as "Hamas," needs to be rooted out of the Gaza Strip.
The California Republican emphasized that the Israeli government could no longer pursue containment and needed to invoke decisive action.
"This is going to be a long war," said the former House speaker. "This isn't going to be a three-day action, because you cannot allow Hamas to exist. They're killing women and children. They were going after civilians. They were capturing people."
McCarthy also accused Hamas, with the financial and security assistance of Iran, of intentionally launching the attack right as Israel and Saudi Arabia were closing in on a historic peace deal to imperil it.
"I mean, Hamas works like an old Mafia, right? Passing notes and others ... but this is a terrorist organization that's very sophisticated, utilizing Iran," McCarthy said, adding that you also have to worry about Russia, China, and North Korea's interests.
"The same thing could happen to us. Israel has a secure border. They have two walls with sensors in between, roads in between ... we don't have it on our border," he continued.
Fears abound regarding the intentions of individuals coming into the U.S. illegally via the southern border, McCarthy said.
"We've caught more people on the terrorist watchlist ... in the month of February this year than we caught in the entire last administration."
"We had caught two people on different dates from Yemen on the terrorist watchlist, which is tied to Iran, coming into California," the congressman said.
"Can there be a cell or two sitting inside our country today based upon what this administration has done to our own border?" he asked.
His comments arrive in the wake of an unfolding crisis in Israel.
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Luca Cacciatore ✉
Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
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