Biden made a new statement regarding Israel - Engagement in intelligence sharing
U.S. President Joe Biden (photo: Getty Images)
President Joe Biden has instructed his team to share intelligence with Jerusalem and has directed experts from the U.S. government to consult with their Israeli counterparts on efforts to secure the release of hostages, according to the White House.
President Joe Biden has stated that as a result of the Palestinian militants' incursion into Israel, at least 11 American citizens have lost their lives, and several others are considered missing.
He added that it is possible that American citizens may be among those held by HAMAS, and the United States is working with Israeli officials to obtain more information about their whereabouts.
"I have directed my team to work with their Israeli counterparts on every aspect of the hostage crisis, including sharing intelligence and deploying experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts," reads the statement.
Biden also emphasized that the United States and Jerusalem are inseparable partners and reassured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of their support.
"This is not some distant tragedy. The ties between Israel and the United States run deep. It is personal for so many American families who are feeling the pain of this attack as well as the scars inflicted through millennia of antisemitism and persecution of Jewish people," stated the U.S. leader.
The U.S. reaction to HAMAS' attack on Israel
On October 7, HAMAS militants infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Initially, they managed to capture several villages, but by evening, Israeli forces had regained control of most of the territory and retaliated by targeting military assets and HAMAS headquarters.
Israel declared a "state of war" and initiated the counter-terrorism operation "Operation Iron Swords." Joe Biden emphasized that the United States will ensure that Jerusalem receives all necessary assistance to defend itself against the terrorist threat.
It was also reported that the United States is deploying its aircraft carrier group to the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea in response to the HAMAS attack on Israel. Additionally, according to an unnamed American official, the United States will deploy over 20 aircraft to the Mediterranean region, including F-35 and F-15 fighter jets.
