The White House condemned atrocities committed by Hamas in its Oct. 7 terrorist attacks but stopped short of criticizing a Democratic leader who seemed to downplay them.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) stirred controversy with a weekend interview in which she appeared to compare rapes committed by Hamas to the Israeli response.

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"I said it's horrific, and I think that rape is horrific. Sexual assault is horrific. I think that it happens in war situations. Terrorist organizations like Hamas, obviously, are using these as tools," Jayapal said. "However, I think we have to be balanced about bringing in the outrages against Palestinians — 15,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, three-quarters of whom are women and children."

Those comments attracted widespread condemnation, including from many Democrats. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said Sunday night, "Rape and sexual violence against Israeli women calls for nothing less than unequivocal condemnation."

During Monday's White House press briefing, a reporter asked for the Biden administration's response.

"I can only speak for the president," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded. "We've been clear that what Hamas did is absolutely reprehensible, and full stop, we're going to continue to be clear about that. We think about rape, and the use of rape being used as a weapon — that is also reprehensible, and that's full stop. I'll just leave it there."

When pressed again about Jayapal, Jean-Pierre said, "I just commented on it."

In the past, Jayapal has been a leader of the #MeToo movement who led calls for the ouster of fellow House Democrat John Conyers when he was accused of sexual assault in 2017.

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Her Hamas comments also drew the ire of Republicans, such as Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), who was a Democrat prior to 2020.

"It is abhorrent and outright disgusting that Rep. Jayapal calls the brutal rape of women by Hamas a 'tool' used during war," Drew posted on X, formerly Twitter. "There is no 'balanced approach' to a group that commits this type of barbarity. The only approach is their total elimination."