US President Joe Biden on Thursday night gave his State of the Union speech to a Joint Session of Congress.
Some of the lawmakers who attended the speech wore the yellow ribbon in a show of solidarity with the hostage being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Officials said before the speech that Biden is expected to announce the establishment of a port off the coast of Gaza that will contribute to the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Strip.
The officials said that the first aid shipments would arrive from Cyprus and the operation would not require the presence of the US military boots on the ground. They estimated that the establishment of the port would take several weeks.
In excerpts released of the speech by the White House, Biden attacks former President Donald Trump, who is set to be his opponent in the presidential election in November, for plotting "revenge and retribution".
The excerpts also showed that Biden would say of the US economy that "in thousands of cities and towns the American people are writing the greatest comeback story never told."
Biden began his remarks by saying that the purpose of the State of the Union address is to “wake up the Congress and alert the American people” that democracy is at stake.
On the war in Ukraine, Biden said, “If anybody in this room thinks (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will stop at Ukraine, I assure you he will not.”
"Ukraine can stop Putin if we stand with Ukraine and provide the weapons it needs to defend itself," he stated.
Biden stressed, "They're not asking for American soldiers. In fact, there are no American soldiers at war in Ukraine. And I'm determined to keep it that way."
President Biden criticized Trump's previous comments encouraging Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" to any NATO country that doesn't meet spending guidelines on defense.
"I think it's outrageous, it's dangerous and it's unacceptable," Biden said of Trump's comments, though he did not reference Trump by name, calling him "my predecessor, a former Republican president."
He accused Trump and his allies of trying to cover up January 6.
“History watched three years ago on January 6 when insurrectionists stormed this very capitol and placed a dagger to the throat of American democracy. Many of you were here on that darkest of days, we all saw with our own eyes. The insurrectionists were not patriots – they’d come to stop the peaceful transfer of power, to overturn the will of the people. January 6 lies about the 2020 election and the plots to steal the election posed a great gravest threat to US democracy since the Civil War. But they fail,” said Biden.
“Our predecessor and some of you here seek to bury the truth about January 6. I will not do that,” he added.
On the situation in Gaza, Biden noted the crisis started when Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7.
Turning to the families of hostages who are still being held in Gaza, some of whom were present in the chamber, he said, “I pledge to all the families that we will not rest until we bring all of your loved ones home.”
“Hamas could end this conflict today by releasing the hostages, laying down arms, and surrendering those responsible for October 7th,” said Biden, who stressed that Israel has the right to go after Hamas but also “has an added burden” since Hamas hides behind civilians.
Israel has a “fundamental responsibility” to protect civilians in Gaza, the president said, adding, “This war has taken a greater toll on innocent civilians than all previous wars in Gaza combined.”
“Tonight, I’m directing the US military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelter,” Biden said.
“No US boots will be on the ground. A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into the Gaza every day … Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire.”
“No US boots will be on the ground. A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into the Gaza every day … Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the crossfire.”
Biden also reupped his calls for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Arab conflict.
"As we look to the future, the only real solution is a two-state solution. I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel and the only American president to visit Israel in wartime. There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy. There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live with peace and dignity," he said.