Fourteen Americans have been killed in the fighting in Israel, President Joe Biden announced Tuesday, and he confirmed more are among those being held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
“We now know that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas,” Biden said. “I’ve directed my team to share intelligence and deploy additional experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts. Because as president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans being held hostage around the world.”
Biden delivered remarks at the White House, which was lit up in blue and white on Monday evening in a show of support for Israel after Hamas launched a surprise air, sea, and land incursion over the weekend.
Israel has since declared a state of alert for war and has been sending retaliatory airstrikes to Gaza. The number of people killed on both sides is mounting.
“There are moments in this life, and I mean this literally when pure, unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world,” Biden said angrily as he spoke in the State Dining Room flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “The people of Israel lived through one such moment this weekend.”
“The bloody hands of the terrorist organization Hamas, a group whose stated purpose for being is to kill Jews,” Biden continued. “This was an act of sheer evil. More than 1,000 civilians were slaughtered, not just killed, in Israel. Among them, at least 14 American citizens were killed.”
Source-ABC
