Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., are trading blows over Israel's military operation against Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists.
Fetterman, a staunch ally of Israel, threw the first punch Tuesday morning when he posted on X a screenshot of a headline by The Hill that reads, "Ocasio-Cortez criticizes Biden administration over 'unrestrained' Israel government."
"The tragedy in Gaza is 100% on Hamas," Fetterman wrote. "Stop using civilians and hospitals as shields, surrender, and release all remaining hostages – and this ends."
Ocasio-Cortez, a pro-Palestinian activist and member of 'the Squad' of far left-wing Democrats, countered Tuesday afternoon in a post on X, chiding Fetterman for his "bleak dunk attempt."
"I dunno man," she wrote. "I care about little kids dying. I care about human rights. I care that billions of U.S. tax dollars' worth of weapons are carrying out unspeakable atrocities. I care enough for us to do better.
"Hope this bleak dunk attempt gets you whatever it is you're going for."
On Monday, Ocasio-Cortez said what is unfolding in Gaza is a result of a "completely unrestrained" Israel government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Biden administration arms, The Hill reported Tuesday.
"This is a genocide of Palestinians," she said, adding that the U.S. has to stop "enabling it."
Israel's military operation in Gaza has exposed a rift among congressional Democrats, with extremists like Ocasio-Cortez demanding the U.S. stop its infusion of cash to Israel as the civilian death toll in Gaza rises.
But Fetterman is one of the few Democrat lawmakers who has publicly supported Israel's mission to eradicate Hamas and return the remaining hostages, including Americans, taken during the terror group's attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.