By MATTHEW LEE and AAMER MADHANI (Associated Press)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The variety of U.S. residents confirmed to have been killed within the Israel-Hamas struggle has risen to at the least 22, the State Department mentioned Wednesday. That’s a rise from 14 the day earlier than.
U.S. residents are also among the many estimated 150 hostages captured by Hamas militants throughout their stunning weekend assault on Israel, President Joe Biden confirmed on Tuesday. The struggle has already claimed at the least 2,200 lives on each side.
The assault raised questions concerning the potential affect of Iran, the principle sponsor of Hamas, and whether or not Iran had something to do with it. But the U.S. has collected data that means senior Iranian authorities officers had been caught off guard by the multipronged assault, in response to a U.S. official who wasn’t approved to debate the matter publicly and spoke on situation of anonymity. That piece of intelligence has knowledgeable White House officers publicly asserting that it has not but seen proof of direct involvement by Iran within the planning or execution of the Hamas assault.
Biden, who is about to fulfill with Jewish leaders later Wednesday, sought to attach the Hamas assaults on to many years of antisemitism and violence endured by Jews all over the world.
“This attack has brought to the surface the painful memories and scars left by a millennium of antisemitism and genocide against the Jewish people,” Biden instructed reporters. He added, “We have to be crystal clear: There is no justification for terrorism, no excuse and the type of terrorism that was exhibited here is just beyond the pale, beyond the pale.”
Biden mentioned he and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke by telephone on Wednesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It was at the least the fourth name between Biden and Netanyahu since Saturday’s assault.
“The United States has Israel’s back and we’re going to be working on this through the day and beyond,” Biden mentioned.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”