(Reuters) Human rights advocates on Friday condemned former President Donald Trump’s references to Palestinians, and immigrants allegedly taking black American jobs, during Thursday’s debate with President Joe Biden, calling the remarks racist or insulting.
Biden and Trump had a brief exchange on the war in Gaza but did not have a substantive discussion on how to end the conflict which has killed 38,000 in the enclave, according to the Gaza health ministry, and caused a massive humanitarian crisis with widespread hunger.
The war began when Palestinian Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and abducting some 250 others, according to Israeli tallies.
“The only one who wants the war to continue is Hamas,” Biden said. Trump responded by saying Biden has “become like a Palestinian,” which rights advocates said came across as a slur.
