U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) is standing firm on comments he issued in response to an activist who pressed him on the situation unfolding in the Middle East, specifically between Israeli and Hamas forces in Gaza.
Footage shared on social media shows the activist pressing Ogles while walking through a corridor in the U.S. Capitol.
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
“Let’s be clear – Hamas raped and murdered babies,” Ogles told the activist, who then replied, “They did not, that’s fake news.”
“There’s no evidence of that,” another activist is heard stating before Ogles said, “I’ve seen the footage, and you haven’t,” referencing the 45-minute long screening of footage showing Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel, which was shown to lawmakers in November 2023.
In response, the activist said, “I’ve seen the footage of shredded children’s bodies. That’s my taxpayer dollars going to bomb those kids.”
Ogles said, “So I think we should kill them all, if it makes you feel better. Everybody in Hamas…Hamas and Palestinians have been attacking Israel for 20 years, and it’s time to pay the piper…Death to Hamas.”
On Wednesday, Ogles issued a statement regarding the exchange with the activist, saying he was “clearly referencing Hamas terrorists during the exchange.”
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) February 21, 2024
“On October 7th, Hamas committed atrocities that are beyond normal comprehension and a manifestation of evil here on earth, including the rape and torture of infants, the rape and torture of young girls and boys, the rape and torture of women and men-including the cutting off of women’s breasts while they were alive and being gang-raped, the mutilation and removal of men’s testicles, and of course, the slaughter of innocent lives,” Ogles said. “These terrorists deserve to die.”
“I was clearly referencing Hamas terrorists during the exchange. Democrats and leftist media, who appear incapable of categorically denouncing the events of October 7th, are desperately attempting to shift blame-a classic Marxian tactic,” Ogles added. “They’re fabricating a demonstrably false narrative to distract from the fact that their ideology is giving rise to anti-Semitic hate across the nation. I stand by Israel and their right to punish Hamas on a scale of Biblical proportion, including their accomplices and the facilitators of the aforementioned atrocities. I stand by what I said: Death to Hamas.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Andy isn’t my Congressman, but I’m liking him more every day.
Andy is correct!
Way to go, Andy!!! 1000% behind him on this one!