A minimum of 11 U.S. residents have been killed in Israel and an unknown quantity are nonetheless unaccounted for, President Biden stated in a press release on Monday night, saying that “we consider it’s doubtless that Americans could also be amongst these being held by Hamas.”
“I’ve directed my workforce to work with their Israeli counterparts on each side of the hostage disaster, together with sharing intelligence and deploying specialists from throughout the USA authorities to seek the advice of with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage restoration efforts,” Mr. Biden stated, whereas expressing anguish over the struggling of Israelis from “inexcusable hatred and violence.”
“This isn’t some distant tragedy,” Mr. Biden stated within the assertion. “The ties between Israel and the USA run deep. It’s private for therefore many American households who’re feeling the ache of this assault in addition to the scars inflicted by means of millennia of antisemitism and persecution of Jewish folks.”
He famous that police departments throughout the USA “have stepped up safety round facilities of Jewish life, and the Division of Homeland Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and different federal regulation enforcement companions are carefully monitoring for any home threats” in reference to the assaults in Israel.
Quite a few Individuals who had been visiting Israel through the assault, together with two lawmakers — Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and Rep. Dan Goldman of New York — have been in a position to go away the nation over the weekend. Mr. Biden directed Individuals making an attempt to depart Israel to hunt out remaining “business flights and floor choices” and urged all Americans in Israel “please additionally take smart precautions within the days forward and observe the steering of native authorities.”
Mr. Biden spoke with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in a name on Sunday, wherein they mentioned the hostages taken by Hamas, in addition to what army help the USA might present. The Pentagon introduced the identical day that it was sending extra munitions to Israel and shifting extra Navy warships, together with an plane service, and fight plane nearer to Israel in a present of assist. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken stated the USA was working to meet a number of particular requests from Israel for army help, with out offering particulars.
On Monday, Protection Division officers stated the Pentagon had supplied the help of U.S. Particular Operations forces for planning and surveillance in any hostage restoration efforts. A White Home spokesman additionally clarified that the U.S. authorities was unsure that American have been being held. “We are able to’t verify that they’re, the truth is, holding hostages,” John Kirby, the spokesman, instructed reporters. There are, he stated, Individuals who’re unaccounted for and could also be captive.
Within the assertion on Monday, Mr. Biden evoked the Sept. 11, 2001 assaults on the USA, expressing lamenting the deaths of extra Individuals in an extremist assault.
“We keep in mind the ache of being attacked by terrorists at house, and Individuals throughout the nation stand united towards these evil acts which have as soon as extra claimed harmless American lives,” Mr. Biden stated. “It’s an outrage.”
The White Home shall be lit up within the blue and white colours of the Israeli flag on Monday night time to precise solidarity with Israel. Will probably be the newest landmark world wide to be so illuminated, becoming a member of the Empire State Constructing in New York, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and the Sydney Opera Home in Australia, amongst others.
Eric Schmitt and Peter Baker contributed reporting.
