Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) was confronted by peace activists in Washington on Tuesday about the Israeli slaughter in Gaza and sparked an outcry for saying “kill ’em all” when asked about Palestinian children being killed with US support.
“I’ve seen the footage of shredded children’s bodies. That’s my taxpayer dollars that are going to bomb those kids,” an activist said to Ogles.
“I think we should kill ’em all, if that makes you feel better,” Ogles replied. “Everybody in Hamas.”
The comments sparked an outcry and backlash, including from within Ogles’ state of Tennessee. In response, Ogles’ office insisted he was specifically talking about Hamas, but the congressman said “kill ’em all” after the activist referenced children being killed by Israel with US support.
US Congressman Andy Ogles was filmed telling Palestine solidarity activists, “I think we should kill them all” when talking about Hamas in Gaza ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/fODWQgvGBe
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 21, 2024
Ogles also justified the brutal Israeli campaign in Gaza by saying, “Hamas and the Palestinians have been attacking Israel for 20 years. It’s time to pay the piper.”
Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL), a former member of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), recently made similar comments when asked about babies being killed in Gaza. “These are not innocent Palestinian civilians across the world,” Mast said.
When asked about the Palestinians who are starving in the Gaza Strip, Mast replied, “The half a million people starving to death are people that should go out there and put a government in place that doesn’t go out there and attack Israel on a daily basis.”
Reprinted with permission from Antiwar.com.