Shillong, October 11: In response to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, the White House has disclosed that there are over 20 Americans whose whereabouts remain unknown since the commencement of hostilities on October 7.
IANS reported that during a routine press briefing on Tuesday, National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan addressed reporters, stating, “We believe that there are 20 or more Americans who, at this point, are missing. But I want to emphasize that this does not necessarily imply that there are 20 or more American hostages; it simply refers to the number of individuals currently unaccounted for.”
Sullivan added, “We will diligently work to ascertain whether we can locate any of these Americans and to confirm the exact number of American citizens being held hostage.”
Furthermore, he underscored the uncertainty regarding the condition of these individuals and the inability to confirm the precise number of American citizens involved.
Sullivan also reported that 14 Americans have tragically lost their lives in the ongoing violence, a figure that was corroborated by President Joe Biden during his address on the conflict earlier on Tuesday.
“As you know, regrettably and tragically, the death toll has been rising with each passing hour, both in terms of the overall casualties and the number of American citizens, which increased today from an earlier report this morning of 12 and 13 to now 14.”
In response to the crisis, Sullivan mentioned that, at President Biden’s direction, the United States has dispatched ammunition and interceptors for the Iron Dome missile defense system to support Israel. He also assured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that American aircraft carrying these capabilities will arrive in Israel in the coming days.
Regarding the deployment of a carrier strike group to the Eastern Mediterranean, Sullivan clarified, “We did not move the carrier for Hamas. We relocated the carrier to send a clear deterrent message to other states or non-state actors that might seek to escalate this conflict.”
He refrained from commenting on the possibility of a ground incursion into Gaza and its potential impact on American hostages, stating, “I’m not going to delve into the operational discussions between the President and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. These matters are best discussed discreetly between them.”
At the same press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre revealed that President Biden had engaged in 17 calls and meetings with his national security team over October 7, 8, and Monday. Since the conflict’s inception, both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have participated in more than three dozen meetings, briefings, and calls related to the situation.