At least nine American citizens were killed in Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel this past weekend, with an unknown number still missing. The U.S. is showing support for Israel by sending an aircraft carrier, a cruiser, destroyers, and ammunition.
“At this time, we can confirm the deaths of nine U.S. citizens,” a spokesperson for Israel’s U.S. Embassy said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected.”
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said some Americans are “unaccounted for” and that officials don’t yet have “solid information about either the number or where they might be.”
Since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas on Sunday, Israel has deployed tens of thousands of troops and bombarded the Gaza Strip with airstrikes in retaliation. Israel Defense Forces’ top spokesman, Daniel Hagari, said, “We’ll reach each and every community until we kill every terrorist in Israel.”
According to Israeli sources, over 800 Israelis have lost their lives since Hamas attacked Israel on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has reported over 550 fatalities in the Gaza Strip.
President Joe Biden has described Hamas’ attack on Israel as “a terrible tragedy on a human level” and expressed “rock solid and unwavering” support for Israel.
U.S. authorities have sent the Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with a guided missile cruiser and four destroyers, to the Eastern Mediterranean to stand ready to assist Israel and deter any escalation of the conflict.
“The U.S. maintains ready forces globally to further reinforce this deterrence posture if required,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, adding that the U.S. “will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions.”
Former President Donald Trump called Hamas’ invasion a “disgrace” and said that “Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force.”
Trump also accused Biden of indirectly funding the invasion through the recent $6 billion payment to Iran as part of a prisoner exchange deal, claiming, “Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration.”
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