Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, has called for the removal of Hamas leadership in Gaza, stressing the organization’s dire impact on the region’s population.

Franklin Graham made the statement during a recent visit to Gaza, where Samaritan’s Purse has been providing humanitarian aid to families affected by the ongoing conflict.

“Gaza is a very volatile place — it is still dangerous. There are more than 2 million people there who need help,” Franklin Graham said. “What Hamas did was horrendous. It was a massacre. Not only did they take 251 innocent civilians hostage from Israel on October 7, they have also held the entire population of Gaza hostage for 18 years. Hamas has got to go.”

Despite the challenges, Samaritan’s Purse has launched a 767 airlift of food and aid to Gaza families, carrying over 290,000 packets of vitamin-fortified food, thousands of blankets, and solar lights. The organization has also pledged 42 ambulances, 28 of them armored, to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service.

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