Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis asserted on Saturday that the U.S. should abstain from accepting refugees from the Gaza Strip.
"If you look at how they behave, not all of them are Hamas, but they are all antisemitic. None of them believe in Israel's right to exist," the candidate said while campaigning in Iowa for the GOP presidential nomination, according to The Washington Post.
"We cannot accept people from Gaza into this country as refugees," DeSantis told the audience, Politico reported.
"Arab states" should provide refuge for individuals from Gaza, he said.
"You don't fly people and import them into the United States of America."
His comments come as Israeli officials urged more than 1 million Palestinians to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military is conducting airstrikes in response to Hamas' recent terror attacks and reportedly is readying a ground assault to terminate the terrorist group's control in the region.
Along Gaza's southern perimeter, Egypt has been reluctant to open its border to Gaza refugees, citing concerns about potential political repercussions and security hazards.
Furthermore, the United Nations has objected to Israel's large-scale evacuation mandate, deeming it unfeasible.
DeSantis, a steadfast advocate of Israel, has called for a "swift and lethal response" in the wake of Hamas' attack last week.
The governor also seized upon the recent attacks by Hamas, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S., to advocate for heightened restrictions on migrants entering the United States from Mexico.
"I've said publicly many times prior to [these] terrorist attacks against Israel: There will be a terrorist attack in this country that we'll be able to link to that southern border," he said.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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