National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said over the weekend that Hamas terrorists are still holding nearly a dozen U.S. citizens hostage inside Gaza.
Sullivan’s remarks during a Sunday interview with Jonathan Karl on ABC News’s “This Week” were made just before a third group of hostages was released, which included 4-year-old Abigail Idan, a dual U.S. citizen whose parents were brutally murdered in front of her in Kfar Aza kibbutz during the October 7 attacks.
“Her parents were – were slaughtered right in front of her. And what that little girl has had to go through all of this time, it’s just unspeakable,” Sullivan said. “It’s unthinkable. It’s something that neither you or I could even begin to imagine or contemplate.”
Sullivan was then asked about the number of Americans who were still being held hostage by Hamas.
“There are nine U.S. citizens and one U.S. [lawful permanent resident], Green Card holder, for a total of 10 Americans,” Sullivan said. “Three of them are women and children, seven of them are men.”
Karl noted that among the Palestinian women and minors who have been released — all of whom are convicted criminals, many with ties to terrorism — have embraced Hamas terrorist flags upon their release.
Sullivan said that while Hamas has gained some benefits from the temporary ceasefire, those benefits will likely be short-lived and fade “fairly quickly.”
He added that the ceasefire could be extended by an extra few days to secure the release of more hostages, but afterward, Israel is expected to resume targeting Hamas with a particular interest in “the leadership of Hamas, that were the architects of this brutal, bloody massacre, the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
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“And Hamas represents a continuing threat to Israel. In fact, Hamas leaders have said on television that they would like to repeat October 7th again and again and again,” he said. “So, Israel does have the right to defend itself. It will take action to suppress and ultimately eliminate the threat that Hamas poses to the state of Israel. And that is what any country would do to defend its territory and its people.”
WATCH:
Following the release of some hostages held in Gaza, national adviser Jake Sullivan tells @JonKarl that “physically, many of them are doing OK.”
“Emotionally and psychologically, this is going to take a long time to recover from.” https://t.co/FPRedX3eGJ pic.twitter.com/I9TOSgeZbt
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 26, 2023
