By Kemi Osukoya
October 9, 2023
WASHINGTON-President Joseph R. Biden Jr Monday confirmed that eleven Americans were among the 600 people killed by Hamas during Saturday’s attacks on Israel.
“It’s heart-wrenching. These families have been torn apart by inexcusable hatred and violence,” President Biden said. “We also know that American citizens still remain unaccounted for and we are working with Israeli officials to obtain more information as to their whereabouts. My heart goes out to every family impacted by the horrible events of the past few days. The pain these families have endured, the enormity of their loss, and the agony of those still awaiting information is unfathomable.”
“The safety of American citizens—whether at home or abroad is my top priority as President,” the President said in the statement released by the White House late Monday afternoon.
President Biden also stated that American citizens are likely among the 100 people kidnapped from Israel and being held by Hamas. He said he has directed his team, led by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, to work with their Israeli counterparts on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the U.S. to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts.
Since the attacks on Israel on Saturday, both Blinken and Sullivan have remained in constant communication with their Israeli counterparts discussing the next steps as well as relaying President Biden’s unwavering support for Israel.
