President Joe Biden privately apologized last month to a group of prominent Muslim-American leaders for publicly questioning the number of Palestinians killed in Gaza, the New York Post has learned.
The meeting came a day after Biden’s Oct. 25 comments doubting the Gaza casualty figures reported by the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry stirred outrage in the Islamic community.
According to sources, Biden vowed to “do better” and heard the leaders detail how people they knew were personally impacted by the conflict. “I’m sorry. I’m disappointed in myself,” Biden admitted over the course of the more than hour-long gathering.
Previously, Biden had openly doubted the accuracy of Gaza death statistics given Hamas’ history of misinformation. Despite US efforts to limit civilian deaths, his remarks were seen as insensitive amid the crisis.
The Health Ministry has reported over 14,000 Palestinians killed in recent fighting, including many women and children. Israel has seen more than 1,200 civilians perish in Hamas attacks launched Oct. 7.
The Muslim-American leaders urged greater empathy from Biden for Palestinian suffering. The White House has not publicly acknowledged the president’s apology, but the meeting signals Biden aims to rebuild trust in the community after the controversy.
