Backlash erupted against U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken after he reportedly threatened Israeli officials who said it could take months to eradicate the terror group Hamas.
A report from <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/blinken-said-to-tell-israel-to-change-strategy-for-southern-gaza-suggest-it-wont-have-months-to-win-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Times Of Israel</a> derived from Channel 12 News claimed that when Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told Blinken that all of Israel backs the elimination of the terrorist group Hamas “even if it takes months,” Blinken responded, “I don’t think you have the credit for that.”
“You can’t operate in southern Gaza in the way you did in the north,” Blinken reportedly warned IDF Chief Herzi Halevi and Gallant. “There are two million Palestinians there. You need to evacuate fewer people from their homes, be more accurate in the attacks, not hit U.N. facilities, and ensure that there are enough protected areas [for civilians]. And if not? Then not to attack where there is a civilian population. What is your system of operation?&#8221;
“We follow a number of principles — proportionality, distinction, and the laws of war,” Halevi reportedly responded. “There were instances where we attacked on the basis of those principles, and instances where we decided not to attack, because we waited for a better opportunity”.
Gallant then asserted, &#8220;The entire Israeli society is united behind the goal of dismantling Hamas, even if it takes months,” prompting Blinken to answer, “I don’t think you have the credit for that.”
Despite the 1,200 Israelis murdered by Hamas in the October 7 attack, Blinken’s warning that Israel’s attack is on borrowed time is distinctly different from the Biden administration’s lasting and continuing support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, which has lasted since February 24, 2022. President Joe Biden asked Congress for $33 billion to support Ukraine on April 28, 2022; $20 billion of the funding was to provide weapons to Ukraine. <a href="https://www.cfr.org/article/how-much-aid-has-us-sent-ukraine-here-are-six-charts#:~:text=Since%20the%20war%20began%2C%20the,Economy%2C%20a%20German%20research%20institute." target="_blank" rel="noopener">According</a> to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, by September 2023 the Biden administration had sent $76.8 billion to Ukraine.
Blinken was harshly criticized for his threat to abandon U.S. support for Israel.
“Secretary Blinken’s meeting in Israel yesterday where he told Israel that they didn’t have the credit they needed to destroy Hamas followed by that rather disastrous press conference in which — I don’t even know how to frame it other than it was a complete and utter message to Hamas that we’re going to pull the rug out of Israel, do what you will — I think yesterday will go down as one of the worst diplomatic face plants in history,” radio host Hugh Hewitt said bluntly.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/hughhewitt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hughhewitt</a> says, “Secretary Blinken’s meeting in Israel yesterday where he told Israel that they didn’t have the credit &#8230; needed to destroy Hamas followed by that rather disastrous press conference … will go down as one of the worst diplomatic face plants in history.” <a href="https://t.co/kttrGYR1Tm">pic.twitter.com/kttrGYR1Tm</a>
&mdash; Washington Post Live (@PostLive) <a href="https://twitter.com/PostLive/status/1730592372755489230?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“The idea that after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Israel needs &#8216;credit&#8217; to defend itself is outrageous. Blinken and Biden should be ashamed. The American people stand with Israel — even if Biden does not,&#8221; Arkansas GOP Senator Tom Cotton blasted.
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The idea that after the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Israel needs &quot;credit&quot; to defend itself is outrageous. 
Blinken and Biden should be ashamed. 
The American people stand with Israel&#8211;even if Biden does not. <a href="https://t.co/MPcJFMjrro">https://t.co/MPcJFMjrro</a>
&mdash; Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomCottonAR/status/1730330307377680423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Blinken is an embarrassment to the USA and an existential threat to the state of Israel!
Surrender: Blinken Tells Israel It Lacks ‘Credit’ to Defeat Hamas <a href="https://t.co/UxJwalyHsB">https://t.co/UxJwalyHsB</a>
&mdash; Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/LouDobbs/status/1730406753722937583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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As bad as we expected the Antony Blinken Lecture Tour in Jerusalem to be, even I wouldn&#39;t have predicted that a US Secretary of State would have said this to a country victimized by a massive terror attack that killed 1400 people.<a href="https://t.co/A9kIOs2D84">https://t.co/A9kIOs2D84</a>
&mdash; Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdMorrissey/status/1730346871963447494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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They keep telling us that they’ll continue murdering, raping, torturing and butchering. They murdered four Israelis today.
Let’s see how long Israel’s “credit,” as Blinken heartlessly called it, lasts to destroy their terror infrastructure and kill this personification of evil. <a href="https://t.co/HwKlVygt9A">https://t.co/HwKlVygt9A</a>
&mdash; Mark Dubowitz (@mdubowitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/mdubowitz/status/1730397069502799896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Who the hell does this Iran-loving, Hamas-appeasing buffoon of a secretary of state think he is?<a href="https://t.co/BZaNN9caNK">https://t.co/BZaNN9caNK</a>
&mdash; Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/marklevinshow/status/1730345594969821585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Secretary Blinken Release The 2023 Trafficking In Persons Report

‘Iran-Loving, Hamas-Appeasing Buffoon’: Blinken Blasted For Reportedly Threatening Israel It’s Running Out Of Time To Destroy Hamas

Antony Blinken

Hamas

Israel

Joe Biden

Ukraine

A number of State Department staffers joined with staffers from the Agency for International Development — 100 in total — in criticizing President Joe Biden&#8217;s response to the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas.
Israel declared a state of war with Hamas after terrorists breached the border on October 7, slaughtering 1,200 Israelis – most of them civilians – and kidnapping more than 200, taking them into Gaza.
According to an <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/13/biden-gaza-hamas-policy-state-department-memo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Axios report</a> published on Monday, a five-page internal memo referred to as a dissent cable was &#8220;organized by a junior diplomat&#8221; and accused Biden of failing to deescalate the situation when Israel began to retaliate against Hamas — in addition to accusing Israel of committing war crimes in Gaza.
The dissent cable was written by Sylvia Yacoub — <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/04/genocide-biden-gaza-ceasefire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identified by Axios</a> as a foreign affairs officer in the Bureau of Middle East Affairs — who criticized Biden directly via X in early November. &#8220;You are providing significantly more military assistance to the government that is indiscriminately attacking innocent Gazans …. you are complicit in genocide @POTUS,&#8221; she said.
Claiming that Israel had cut off electricity to Gaza and restricted aid, the memo alleged that those actions — and the Israel Defense Forces&#8217; targeted strikes on Hamas leaders and weapons&#8217; stores — &#8220;all constitute war crimes and/or crimes against humanity under international law.&#8221;
&#8220;Yet we have failed to reassess our posture towards Israel. We doubled down on our unwavering military assistance to the (Israeli government) without clear or actionable redlines,&#8221; the memo continued, arguing that Israel&#8217;s response to Hamas should have caused the United States to adjust its policy.
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&#8220;Members of the White House and (the National Security Council) displayed a clear disregard for the lives of Palestinians, a documented unwillingness to de-escalate, and, even prior to October 7, a reckless lack of strategic foresight,&#8221; the memo continued, going on to chastise the Biden administration for refusing to take the word of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry when it came to assessing the number of casualties.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the dissent within the State Department, saying in a memo to staffers, &#8220;I know that for many of you, the suffering caused by this crisis is taking a profound personal toll. The anguish that comes with seeing the daily images of babies, children, elderly people, women, and other civilians suffering in this crisis is wrenching. I feel it myself. Some people in the Department may disagree with approaches we are taking or have views on what we can do better.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-PRICE-BRIEFING

State Department Staffers Sign Letter Accusing Israel Of War Crimes

State Department

ABC News Senior White House correspondent Selina Wang asked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-kirby" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Kirby</a> to explain the factors &#8220;beyond Hamas&#8221; that were complicating the United States&#8217; efforts to get Americans and other civilians out of Gaza — but Kirby was adamant that Hamas was quite literally the only roadblock.
&#8220;Why have Americans and foreign nationals still been unable to get out of Gaza, even though aid trucks have been going in?&#8221; Wang asked. &#8220;Beyond putting the blame on Hamas, what more can you say what&#8217;s going on there and what the progress is?&#8221;
WATCH:
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ABC&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/selinawangtv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SelinaWangTV</a>: &quot;Why have Americans and foreign nationals still been unable to get out of Gaza, even though aid trucks have been going in? Beyond putting the blame on hamas, what more can you say what&#39;s going on there &amp; what the progress is?&quot;
John Kirby: &quot;How about if I… <a href="https://t.co/O6bXJrZu91">pic.twitter.com/O6bXJrZu91</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1719417261696426314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Kirby immediately pushed back, saying that Hamas was the only obstacle that needed to be addressed, and he noted that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had said the same during a Senate hearing earlier in the day.
&#8220;How about if I just put the blame on Hamas?&#8221; Kirby countered. &#8220;I mean, Secretary Blinken talked about this in his hearing this morning. They are putting obstacles up to allow us to get folks out. It&#8217;s not Israel, it&#8217;s not Egypt, it&#8217;s not places like Jordan. Hamas has been making it difficult to do this.&#8221;
Blinken <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/10/31/news/hamas-traps-1000-americans-in-gaza-as-last-us-charter-plane-leaves-israel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">addressed the issue</a> during a Tuesday morning hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, saying that some 400 Americans and their families (approximately 1,000 people) and another 5,000 civilians from other countries were waiting for a safe route out of Gaza, and Hamas terrorists had refused to open the gates and allow them passage.
&#8220;We’re working with various parties to try to facilitate their departure from Gaza. The impediment is simple: it’s Hamas,&#8221; Blinken said. &#8220;We’ve not yet found a way to get them out through whatever place and by whatever means that Hamas is not blocking, but we’re working that with intermediaries.&#8221;
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&#8220;We’re working on it with with Egypt. We’re working on it with Israel. We’re looking for ways to get people out,&#8221; Blinken added. &#8220;But because Hamas controls what goes on for the most part inside of Gaza, unless it agrees, then it’s going to be very difficult to get that done.&#8221;

White House Media Briefing Held By Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre And NSC Coordinator John Kirby

Reporter Tries To Get Kirby To Shift Some Blame Off Hamas; He Doesn’t Bite

Reporter Tries To Get Kirby To Shift Some Blame Off Hamas; He Doesn't Bite

Egypt

Executive

Gaza

John Kirby

World

Left-wing protesters disrupted a congressional hearing on Tuesday regarding President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a>&#8216;s request for roughly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/us/politics/bidens-funds-israel-ukraine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$106 billion</a> to assist with national security matters related to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a>&#8216;s war against Hamas, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukraine&#8217;s fight against Russian invaders</a>, border security, and more.
Cameras in the chamber showed more people sitting behind the hearing&#8217;s witnesses, Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antony-blinken" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antony Blinken</a> and Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/lloyd-austin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lloyd Austin</a>, holding signs and raising into the air their hands, which appeared to have been painted to make them look bloody.
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Protesters have now completely derailed the Blinken/Austin hearing, chanting &quot;ceasefire now&quot; and &quot;from Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyCaller?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DailyCaller</a> <a href="https://t.co/lt7FYltjT8">pic.twitter.com/lt7FYltjT8</a>
&mdash; Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dylan_Housman/status/1719356474365743311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) repeatedly paused the proceeding as police officers removed demonstrators shouting for a ceasefire and chanting, &#8220;From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go&#8221; from the room as Blinken tried to deliver his opening remarks. At least some of the protesters appeared to be affiliated with the leftist activist group <a href="https://twitter.com/kate_santaliz/status/1719355942137897203" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Code Pink</a>.
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30 minutes into a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing… <a href="https://t.co/t7jzJnje3U">pic.twitter.com/t7jzJnje3U</a>
&mdash; Nolan D. McCaskill (@NolanDMcCaskill) <a href="https://twitter.com/NolanDMcCaskill/status/1719355621261123902?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Blinken, the Biden administration&#8217;s top diplomat, took a moment to acknowledge the cries of the disrupters.
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BLINKEN &amp; AUSTIN HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS!
This morning in the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing where <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecBlinken</a> were asking for more money to fund Israel&#39;s genocide of Palestine: <a href="https://t.co/KU8ly1m2Q4">pic.twitter.com/KU8ly1m2Q4</a>
&mdash; CODEPINK (@codepink) <a href="https://twitter.com/codepink/status/1719359024859132257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I also hear very much the passions expressed in this room and outside this room. All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life. All of us know the suffering that is taking place as we speak. All of us are determined to see it end,&#8221; Blinken said.
&#8220;But all of us know the imperative of standing up with our allies and partners when they&#8217;re security — when their democracies are threatened. That&#8217;s what&#8217;s happening now,&#8221; Blinken added. &#8220;We stand resolutely with them even as we stand resolutely for the protection of innocent civilians.&#8221;
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Blinken: &quot;I also hear very much the passions expressed in this room and outside this room. All of us are committed to the protection of civilian life. All of us know the suffering that is taking place we speak. All of us are determined to see it end.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/E01UCf24HY">pic.twitter.com/E01UCf24HY</a>
&mdash; Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1719357049450930198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Biden made the so-called <a href="https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings/a-review-of-the-national-security-supplemental-request" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national security supplemental request</a> earlier this month after Israel launched a new war on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hamas</a> in the Gaza Strip following the group&#8217;s deadly terrorist attacks on Israeli soil that killed an estimated 1,400-plus people, including 33 Americans, and led to more than 200 hostages being taken.
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The request of Congress <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/20/us/politics/bidens-funds-israel-ukraine.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sought $14.3 billion for Israel</a>, $61.4 billion for Ukraine, $13.6 billion for border security, $9.15 to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/20/politics/us-israel-ukraine-aid-package/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$10 billion</a> for humanitarian aid, and $7.4 billion for Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific — totaling about $106 billion.
In the Democrat-led Senate, <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2023/10/24/congress/bidens-big-bill-in-trouble-ukraine-israel-border-00123292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debate got underway</a> about whether to link Israel aid to more funds to assist Ukraine in its bloody conflict against Russia. House Republicans, who control the lower chamber, have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-gop-proposes-israel-aid-offset-by-irs-budget-cuts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced a proposal</a> that would give $14.3 billion to Israel while rescinding the same amount of funds made available to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/internal-revenue-service-irs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Internal Revenue Service (IRS)</a>.
A statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested the House Republican proposal was a &#8220;nonstarter,&#8221; adding that &#8220;demanding offsets for meeting core national security needs of the United States — like supporting Israel and defending Ukraine from atrocities and Russian imperialism—would be a break with the normal, bipartisan process and could have devastating implications for our safety and alliances in the years ahead.&#8221;

Hearing protesters

Leftists Disrupt Blinken During Hearing On Aid For Israel, Ukraine, Border

Border Crisis

Code Pink

Congress

Lloyd Austin

Politics

Protesters

Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended Israel’s right to defend itself in its ongoing war with Hamas.
Blinken spoke with Margaret Brennan Sunday on CBS’ “Face The Nation.&#8221;
“No country, no country can be expected to tolerate this, to live with this,” Blinken told her about Israel’s need to confront Hamas. “And, as we said from the start, Israel has both the – the right and even the obligation not only to defend itself, but to try to make sure that, to the best of its ability, this can&#8217;t happen again.”
“It&#8217;s important, as we said, not only what they do, but how they do it, particularly when it comes to making sure that civilians are as protected as they possibly can be in this crossfire of Hamas&#8217; making,” he continued. “But in terms of what we&#8217;re talking to Israel about in their – with regard to their military operations, it really is focused on both how they do it, and how best to achieve the results that they seek.”
“We have to remember. Israel has to do everything it can to make sure this doesn&#8217;t happen again,” he said. “Freezing things in place where they are now would allow Hamas to remain where it is and to repeat what it&#8217;s done sometime in the future. No country could accept that.”
Asked to respond to a Palestinian spokesman who said of Israel’s targeting Hams with bombing, “Enough is enough,” Blinken responded, “Enough is enough should have been the case with Hamas two weeks ago. It would be good to hear the entire world speaking clearly and with one voice about the actions that Hamas took, about the slaughter of people, about the fact that that should be absolutely intolerable, unacceptable to anyone anywhere, any country, any people.&#8221;
“When I see the reports, when I see the photographs, when I hear the stories of young children, Palestinian children, who&#8217;ve been killed or injured, it hits me right in the gut too, just as it does when I hear – when I see these other stories, wherever it is,” he asserted. “But this is on Hamas. And the fact is, Hamas doesn&#8217;t represent the Palestinian people.&#8221;

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

Blinken: ‘It Would Be Good To Hear The Entire World’ Condemn Hamas

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden administration</a> is unaware of the status of 10 unaccounted-for Americans who disappeared after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hamas">Hamas</a> launched <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/terrorism">terrorist</a> attacks on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a> from the Gaza Strip, Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antony-blinken">Antony Blinken</a> said on Sunday.
During an interview on NBC&#8217;s &#8220;Meet the Press,&#8221; moderator Kristen Welker asked Blinken if he believed the 10 missing Americans were being held hostage.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t know. As you said, we&#8217;ve got 10 unaccounted-for Americans. We believe that some significant number are hostages,&#8221; Blinken said. &#8220;But, you know, what&#8217;s happening is — and it just underscores the horror — Israel continues to discover, uncover people who were killed, who were slaughtered — and I use that term very advisedly — slaughtered on October 7.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;So what we don&#8217;t know for sure is whether some of the unaccounted for are dead and have simply not been uncovered yet, or whether they&#8217;re hostage. But we have a pretty strong idea that some number of the 10 at least are being held in Gaza by Hamas.&#8221;
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Biden Secretary of State Antony Blinken says they &quot;don&#39;t know&quot; the status of the ten Americans who remain unaccounted for following the Hamas terrorist attacks, but they &quot;believe that some significant number are hostages&quot; <a href="https://t.co/JJHyFz1JwD">pic.twitter.com/JJHyFz1JwD</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1716087337405251953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Biden administration has reported more than 1,300 people, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2023/10/20/remarks-by-president-biden-on-the-unites-states-response-to-hamass-terrorist-attacks-against-israel-and-russias-ongoing-brutal-war-against-ukraine/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including 32 Americans</a>, were killed in the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
On Friday, Blinken <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1715460813077569810" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that 10 Americans remained unaccounted for and that at least some were among roughly 200 hostages still being held by Hamas. Blinken also said two Americans — who have been <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/20/middleeast/hamas-us-hostages-released-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identified</a> as Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie Raanan — were released by Hamas.
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Blinken <a href="https://grabien.com/story.php?id=444699" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Welker he could not explain why Hamas released the Raanans.
&#8220;We don&#8217;t know why Hamas chose to release Natalie and Judith first,&#8221; Blinken said. &#8220;And I use the word &#8216;first&#8217; advisedly because again, we&#8217;re hopeful that more follow. I can&#8217;t speak to that. What I can speak to is our incessant efforts from day one to try to get people home, to try to get them out of Gaza back with their families and loved ones. That is continuing as we speak. This is something we&#8217;re engaged in virtually around the clock.&#8221;
Blinken also declined to state whether the United States wants Israel to hold off on its ground operation in Gaza until more hostages can be freed, as has been reported by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-10-20/us-pressing-israel-to-delay-gaza-invasion-to-win-hostage-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple</a> <a href="https://www.cnn.com/middleeast/live-news/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news-10-22-23/h_57280dc3a893af2eb8dff3de6e9f4c62" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlets</a>.
&#8220;We are not in the business of second-guessing what they&#8217;re doing,&#8221; Blinken <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/international/4269393-blinken-dodges-question-on-whether-us-has-asked-israel-to-delay-ground-operation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;We are talking to them on a regular basis about how they do it. It&#8217;s vitally important that every measure be taken to protect civilians, that humanitarian assistance gets in to people who are caught in this crossfire of Hamas&#8217;s making.&#8221;
He added, &#8220;And of course, both of us want to make sure that the many hostages who&#8217;ve been taken come on. And that&#8217;s why we&#8217;re working on it as I said virtually every minute of the day. But these are decisions that Israel has to make. We can give our best advice and judgment again about how they do it and how best to achieve the results they&#8217;re seeking.&#8221;

Antony Blinken stands alongside President Joe Biden

Biden Admin Does Not Know Status Of 10 Missing Americans, Blinken Says

Biden Administration

Hostages

Terrorism

Qatar’s longstanding ties to terror groups are under scrutiny after one of those groups, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hamas</a>, launched an unprecedented terrorist attack against <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a> on October 7.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken crisscrossed the Middle East over the past week in an effort to prevent the war between Israel and Hamas from expanding. The secretary also wanted to make the U.S. position clear: Israel has a right to defend itself, and Hamas should be isolated from the Arab world.
Blinken took that message to the Qatari capital of Doha, telling Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani “there can be no more business as usual” between Qatar and Hamas, suggesting that the terror group&#8217;s leadership should not longer be given safe haven by the Qatary government. Qatar&#8217;s prime minister received the message coolly.
The Hamas politburo is the main decision-making body of the terror group and is comprised of 14 other members led by its chairman, Ismail Haniyeh. It is headquartered in Doha. Responding to a reporter’s question about banishing the politburo, the prime minister <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-with-qatari-prime-minister-and-minister-of-foreign-affairs-mohammed-bin-abdulrahman-al-thani-at-a-joint-press-availability/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that Hamas’ Doha office has become a necessary “way of communicating and bringing peace and calm into the region.”
“This is the purpose of that office. As long as we are keeping the communication open right now and focusing on putting an end for this conflict … That’s what our main focus is,” he said.
Qatar and the United States have enjoyed friendly diplomatic relations for decades. Doha hosts the Al-Udeid Air Force Base and U.S. Central Command’s forward headquarters, and it allows U.S. and NATO soldiers to use Qatar as a base of operations for missions in the Middle East. Recently, President Joe Biden put Qatar in control of a $6 billion humanitarian fund for Iran, traded to the Iranian regime along with five prisoners in exchange for five Americans.
While building <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/31/us/politics/biden-qatar-nato.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inroads</a> with the U.S. and the West, which has <a href="https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-qatar/#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20provides%20no%20development%20assistance%20to%20Qatar." target="_blank" rel="noopener">created</a> profitable economic opportunities for Qatar&#8217;s oil industry, Qatar has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-40246734" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintained</a> ties to Middle East terror networks, claiming to be a moderating force among the Arab world’s most extreme elements. Qatar is closely allied with Iran, the leading state sponsor of terrorism, and has worked with al-Qaeda affiliates, the Taliban, and others.
“Qatar, a longtime U.S. ally, has for many years openly financed Hamas,” U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jl2308" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in 2014. “Press reports indicate that the Qatari government is also supporting extremist groups operating in Syria.”
At the time, Qatar not only financed terror groups, but had created “such a permissive terrorist financing environment, that several major Qatar-based fundraisers act as local representatives for larger terrorist fundraising networks that are based in Kuwait,” a major thoroughfare for terror financing, according to Cohen.
Hamas reportedly <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2023/10/10/u-s-wrong-to-involve-qatar-and-turkey-in-israeli-hostage-negotiations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receives</a> hundreds of millions of dollars a year in aid from Qatar; somewhere between $360 million and $480 million annually. Qatar uses a third of the aid money to purchase fuel from Egypt that is then shipped to Gaza, possessed by Hamas, and sold to fill the terror group’s coffers. The other two thirds is split between funding Gaza civilians and the paychecks of Hamas civil workers.
Qatar is home to the state-funded Al Jazeera network, often a platform for terror groups, that has justified Palestinian terrorism and antisemitism. On the day of Hamas’s invasion of Israel, Al Jazeera aired an over three-minute <a href="https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1710996944439447942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">message</a> from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh calling on all Palestinians and their allies to unite against Israel.
Doha has strongly denied allegations that it supports terrorism. In 2017, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates published a joint statement <a href="https://www.saudiembassy.net/statements/joint-statement-saudi-arabia-uae-bahrain-and-egypt-relating-new-terror-designations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accusing</a> Qatar of “financing and harboring of extremist individuals and groups.”
The Qatari government <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/6/9/qatar-rejects-saudi-led-blocs-terror-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a>: “The recent joint statement issued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE regarding a ‘terror finance watch list’ once again reinforces baseless allegations that hold no foundation in fact.”

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

U.S. Ally Qatar’s Ties To Terrorism Scrutinized After Hamas Attack On Israel

Qatar

The U.S. will start arranging evacuation charter flights for American citizens out of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a> beginning on Friday as the death toll of Americans from Hamas&#8217; terrorist attacks continues to climb.
During a press briefing on Thursday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced that evacuation operations would start on October 13 &#8220;to provide transportation from Israel to sites in Europe&#8221; for American citizens and their immediate families.
&#8220;The president has asked his team to ensure that we are assisting U.S. citizens who do want to leave Israel and providing them with a safe means of doing that,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-white-house-holds-news-briefing-with-nscs-john-kirby-as-israel-hamas-war-enters-6th-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Sources familiar with the matter <a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-evacuation-f7c0e2f2a091b14a80b6cae078a90a81" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Associated Press the U.S. plans to send at least four charter flights daily.
&#8220;They&#8217;re still working through some of the details of that, to assist U.S. citizens and their immediate family members who have, for whatever reason, not been able to provide commercial transit out of the country,&#8221; Kirby added. &#8220;And I would add that we&#8217;re also exploring other options to expand the capacity of doing this, including exploring whether it&#8217;s possible to help Americans leave by land and by sea.&#8221;
On Saturday, Hamas launched a barbaric attack on Israel that has so far killed at least 1,300 people, including 27 Americans, and injured approximately 3,000 others. Another 14 Americans remain unaccounted for, according to reports.
&#8220;Sadly, five more families have now gotten the worst possible news that any family can conceive of getting. And we&#8217;re going to stay in touch with them as appropriate,&#8221; Kirby said. &#8220;Same goes for those family members of those who are unaccounted for — and by unaccounted for, we mean that. We don&#8217;t know where they are. They don&#8217;t know where they are.&#8221;
The White House claimed a &#8220;handful&#8221; of the Americans in the region were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists.
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&#8220;So we&#8217;re going to obviously stay in touch with them as well,&#8221; Kirby also said. &#8220;And certainly we&#8217;re continuing to work with Israeli officials to make sure that we&#8217;re getting as much context and information as possible that we will share with them.&#8221;
According to the Associated Press, U.S. officials estimate between 160,000 and 170,000 Americans live in Israel, with an additional 500 and 600 in Gaza.
On Wednesday, a State Department spokesperson <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mollybohannon/2023/10/12/us-offering-evacuation-flights-from-israel-for-american-citizens-amid-hamas-war/?sh=776bd6ca4cc9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Forbes that officials were exploring different options for evacuating citizens, including &#8220;by air, land, and sea to nearby countries&#8221; due to the demand for flights.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Israel on Thursday to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and citizens.
Blinken reportedly viewed images depicting victims of the Hamas attack, saying, &#8220;So, images are worth a thousand words. These images may be worth a million.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to find the right words. It&#8217;s beyond what anyone would ever want to imagine, much less, God forbid, experience,&#8221; he said at a press conference in Israel <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/blinken-meets-hamas-attack-survivors-pledges-us-support/story?id=103925374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by ABC News. &#8220;A baby, an infant, riddled with bullets. Soldiers beheaded. Young people burned alive. I could go on, but it&#8217;s simply depravity in the worst imaginable way.&#8221;
Blinken traveled with Steve Gillen, deputy special representative for hostage affairs, who will reportedly stay in Israel to assist in rescuing the hostages.
The Americans missing or dead from the attack have not been identified by U.S. officials, but the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/11/us/israel-americans-missing-killed-hostage.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> among them are a mother and daughter from the greater Chicago area, a recent high school graduate from Long Island, and a young adult who was among the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/crews-recover-more-than-260-bodies-from-music-festival-attacked-by-hamas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">260 people killed</a> at the all-night outdoor music festival called Supernova, also described as a peace party, near Kibbutz Re&#8217;im close to the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Holds Daily Briefing

White House Prepares Evacuation Flights From Israel For U.S. Nationals

Biden Admin To Begin Evacuation Flights From Israel For U.S. Nationals

Benjamin Netanyahu

House Republicans are questioning Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antony-blinken" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antony Blinken</a> over a former Biden official who has been accused of mishandling classified documents and linked to an alleged &#8220;Iranian spy ring.&#8221; 
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/james-comer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James Comer</a> (R-KY) and Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) sent a letter to Blinken on Wednesday asking for State Department communications involving Robert Malley, who used to be special envoy to Iran, and his security clearance. Malley is under criminal investigation by the FBI over his handling of classified documents and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-biden-official-under-criminal-investigation-is-linked-to-iranian-spy-ring-in-d-c-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been accused</a> of being linked to an “Iranian spy ring” operating to shift U.S. policy to favor the Islamic Republic of Iran.
“The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the Biden Administration’s efforts to conceal details about its ongoing secret nuclear negotiations with the Islamic Republic of Iran from Congress, ignoring statutory obligations for congressional oversight,&#8221; Comer and Grothman <a href="https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Letter-to-State-re-Malley.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>. &#8220;The Administration’s lack of transparency is even more troubling in light of press reports about Iran’s direct role in this weekend’s horrific attack on Israel by Hamas and additional revelations that former Special Envoy for Iran (SEI), Robert Malley, and members of his negotiating team may have had compromising ties to the Iranian regime.&#8221;
Malley is facing claims that he advanced several operatives in an alleged Iranian spy ring, including helping an alleged Iranian asset named Ariane Tabatabai infiltrate her way into the State Department and Pentagon.
“The ongoing investigation into Mr. Malley’s security violations are so serious that he was suspended from his position without pay. Further, the investigation was initially hidden from Congress, the American people, and even his fellow State Department officials,” the letter to Blinken said. 
The lawmakers want State Department communications and documents about whether “Malley’s relationships with Iranian regime officials and senior members of Iran’s proxy groups” were made known to officials when reviewing his security clearance for the special envoy position. 
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They also want documentation on government discussions of Malley and his access to classified information and requested a list of people who were present at discussions about Iran’s holding of American hostages. Last month, the Biden administration signed off on a deal to release five Iranian prisoners and $6 billion in frozen assets in exchange for five Americans held captive in Iran.
The decision has faced increasing scrutiny after Hamas terrorists, reportedly backed by Iran, launched a surprise attack against Israel last week.

Berlin Hosts 2nd Libya Conference

House Republicans Question Blinken Over Biden’s Suspended Special Envoy To Iran

Iran

Iran Nuclear Deal

James Comer

Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-prediction-about-biden-handing-iran-6b-goes-viral-after-hamas-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> on Wednesday blasted President Joe Biden for being &#8220;incompetent&#8221; and &#8220;stupid&#8221; with Middle Eastern relations, specifically admonishing the Biden administration&#8217;s move to release $6 billion in frozen oil revenues to Iran.
&#8220;CROOKED JOE BIDEN MUST TAKE BACK AND FREEZE THE 6 BILLION DOLLARS RIGHT NOW, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,&#8221; Trump posted in all-caps to social media platform Truth Social. &#8220;HOW COULD ANYONE BE SO INCOMPETENT AND STUPID?&#8221;
&#8220;BIDEN CAUSED THIS WAR, AND IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE!!!&#8221; Trump added.
<div id="attachment_634701" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-634701" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-634701 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-11-at-10.13.05-AM-1024x422.png" alt="" width="1024" height="422" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-11-at-10.13.05-AM-1024x422.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-11-at-10.13.05-AM-300x124.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-11-at-10.13.05-AM-768x316.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/10/Screenshot-2023-10-11-at-10.13.05-AM.png 1160w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Donald Trump via Truth Social: Screenshot</div>
Terror group Hamas, which is funded by Iran, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-toll-rises-hundreds-wounded-after-palestinian-terrorists-launch-unprecedented-attack-on-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slaughtered hundreds of Israelis</a> over the past five days, including women and children and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/14-americans-murdered-by-hamas-u-s-citizens-taken-hostage-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 14 Americans</a>. The group is believed to still have more than a hundred <a href="https://time.com/6322472/hamas-american-hostages-gaza-rescue/#:~:text=Hamas%20is%20believed%20to%20have,Netanyahu%20from%202009%20to%202011." target="_blank" rel="noopener">hostages</a>, which reportedly include children.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/us-investigating-whether-iran-gave-advanced-training-hamas-militants-rcna119824#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According</a> to NBC, Iran funnels roughly $100 million annually to Hamas and has &#8220;delivered technology and know-how that have enabled Hamas to build up its own arsenal of rockets in Gaza based on Iranian designs.&#8221;
Following Biden&#8217;s move to unfreeze the funds to Iran, Trump posted, &#8220;Can you believe that Crooked Joe Biden is giving $6 Billion to the terrorist regime in Iran? That money [will] be used for terrorism all over the Middle East, and, indeed, the World. This incompetent FOOL is absolutely destroying America. He had the audacity to announce this terrible deal today, September 11th.”
“To pay for hostages will lead to kidnapping, ransom, and blackmail against Americans across the globe,” he added. “I freed many dozens of our people from various unfriendly countries and never paid a dime!”
Biden has <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/blog/israel-hamas-war-live-updates-rcna119636" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that some of the hostages being held by Hamas are U.S. citizens.
As highlighted by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-intelligence-chief-says-biden-has-given-iran-closer-to-60-billion-in-favors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a>, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has attempted to downplay the Biden administration&#8217;s $6 billion controversy. Blinken argued that the money is only available for humanitarian purposes. When he was pressed about money being fungible, the Secretary of State admitted that Iran has always devoted funds to terrorism.
“Iran has always used and focused its funds on supporting terrorism, on supporting groups like Hamas,&#8221; the Biden official said. &#8220;And it’s done that when there’s been sanctions, it’s done that when there haven’t been sanctions, and it’s always prioritized that.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;What do you say about the argument that money is fungible — so Iran may have known this money is coming and used other funds to help fund this attack?&quot;
Secretary of State Antony Blinken: &quot;Iran has unfortunately always used and focused its funds on supporting terrorism&quot; <a href="https://t.co/t8kyDqOHk9">pic.twitter.com/t8kyDqOHk9</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1711026361932911037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Trump <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/trump-hamas-assault-on-israel-a-disgrace-us-taxpayer-dollars-helped-fund-these-attacks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement released Saturday that Hamas’ attack on Israel is a “disgrace,” adding that Israel “has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force.”
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“Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration,” the statement continued. “We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible. Here we go again.”
On the same day via Truth Social, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111195007459768097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, “Joe Biden’s ineptitude, weakness, and incompetence has led to this horrible attack on Israel, and it will only get worse. Just four years ago we had the signing of the historic Abraham Accords, and today we have an attack on Israel. What a difference a President makes!”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trumps-prediction-about-biden-handing-iran-6b-goes-viral-after-hamas-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump’s Prediction About Biden Handing Iran $6B Goes Viral After Hamas Attack</a>

Collage Maker-06-Jun-2023-12-41-PM-3158

Trump Slams Biden, Demands He Immediately Freeze $6B Handed To Iran

Donald Trump

Terrorists

A post to X from Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antony-blinken" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Antony Blinken</a> in which he talked about expressing support for a ceasefire after Hamas attacks on Israel has been deleted.
It marks the second post that the Biden administration has removed from X since <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hamas">Hamas</a> launched a surprise attack from Gaza, prompting Israel to declare war on the militant group.
“Turkish Foreign Minister [Hakan Fidan] and I spoke further on Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel. I encouraged Tükiye’s advocacy for a cease-fire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas immediately,” Blinken said in the now-deleted post on Sunday.
The post elicited some blowback. Among those to critique it was Jonathan Schanzer, a senior vice president at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who <a href="https://twitter.com/JSchanzer/status/1711205447783399547" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Blinken was &#8220;allowing himself&#8221; to be part of a &#8220;charade.&#8221;
&#8220;Holy s***, the Biden administration is already calling for a &#8216;cease-fire.&#8217; I didn&#8217;t think they could be THIS disgusting and heartless. But here we are,&#8221; <a href="https://twitter.com/NoahPollak/status/1711202640078778395">said</a> <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pollak-yes-targeted-killings-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">political consultant Noah Pollak</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Biden administration has now deleted two separate posts calling for Israel to stand down to Hamas terrorists <a href="https://t.co/tdpeE66FSI">pic.twitter.com/tdpeE66FSI</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1711404196774248754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In an <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1710802239248335115" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earlier post</a> that has not been deleted as of press time, Blinken said he and Fidan &#8220;discussed Hamas’ attacks on Israel. Israel has the right to defend itself, rescue any hostages, and protect its citizens.&#8221;
Another X account tied to the State Department, one for the U.S. Office of Palestinian Affairs, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-office-of-palestinian-affairs-deletes-post-urging-israel-to-stand-down-following-hamas-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">also deleted a post</a> that drew controversy over the weekend.
“We unequivocally condemn the attack of Hamas terrorists and the loss of life that has incurred. We urge all sides to refrain from violence and retaliatory attacks. Terror and violence solve nothing,” the now-deleted post <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-office-of-palestinian-affairs-deletes-post-urging-israel-to-stand-down-following-hamas-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
Officials have <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/israel-hamas-war-death-toll-gaza-strip-palestinians-israelis-latest-news-day-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> nearly 1,300 people have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/israeli-death-toll-skyrockets-following-iran-backed-terror-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> — including at least <a href="https://twitter.com/HerbieZiskend46/status/1711417912840298693" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine Americans</a> — and thousands more wounded in Israel and Gaza amid the conflict. Dozens of others are <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/08/europe/israel-hostages-hamas-what-we-know-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">believed to have been taken hostage</a> by Hamas.
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President Joe Biden spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. During that call, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/09/netanyahu-ground-invasion-gaza-israel-hamas-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Axios</a>, Netanyahu said Israeli forces &#8220;have to go&#8221; into Gaza, and he predicted that there would be a <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/09/netanyahu-ground-invasion-gaza-israel-hamas-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;long and difficult war.&#8221;</a>
In a <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1711120898751619542" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post to X</a>, Biden said he called Netanyahu &#8220;to express my full support for the people of Israel in the face of an unprecedented and appalling assault by Hamas terrorists.&#8221; Biden also said they would &#8220;remain in close contact over the coming days&#8221; and declared the United States &#8220;will continue to stand with the people of Israel.&#8221;
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) <a href="https://www.cruz.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/sen-cruz-issues-statement-after-israel-announces-start-of-offensive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a statement</a> assailing the Biden administration for creating uncertainty through its State Department channels.
“Instead, this weekend the State Department repeatedly posted statements and summaries calling for premature ceasefires and for Israel to stand down, while other times Biden administration officials said they were not pressuring Israel,&#8221; Cruz said. &#8220;This ambiguity badly undermines our ally’s campaign against the Iran-controlled terrorists in the Gaza Strip, endangering the safety and security of Israelis and Americans.&#8221;

Blinken Deletes Post About Encouraging Ceasefire In Israel-Hamas Conflict

Global Politics

Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/antony-blinken">Antony Blinken</a> said on Sunday the Biden administration is looking into reports of Americans being killed or taken hostage as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/israel">Israel</a> goes to war against Hamas following a surprise attack by the militant group from Gaza.
“We have reports that several Americans were killed. We’re working overtime to verify that. At the same time, there are reports of missing Americans and there again, we’re working to verify those reports,&#8221; the top U.S. diplomat said on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State of the Union.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Biden Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the attacks in Israel: &quot;We have reports that several Americans were killed &#8230; There are reports of missing Americans.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4eIMFkDvTG">pic.twitter.com/4eIMFkDvTG</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1711009183326155177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Blinken said in a separate interview on NBC&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1711008102558941274">&#8220;Meet The Press&#8221;</a> that assisting detained U.S. citizens abroad &#8220;is going to be a priority,&#8221; but he stressed that any reports must be verified first.
The assault on Israel began Saturday morning with rocket barrages and Hamas fighters crossing the border. Soldiers and civilians were taken captive, Israel&#8217;s military <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/07/world/middleeast/hamas-hostages-israel-video.html">said</a> on Saturday, though the exact number remains unclear as of press time.
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Israeli forces engaged Hamas gunmen and were still <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/08/world/israel-gaza-attack-hamas-news">reportedly</a> fighting them within Israeli territory roughly 30 hours into the conflict. Israel has also engaged in retaliatory strikes against Hamas in Gaza and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-ca7903976387cfc1e1011ce9ea805a71">traded fire</a> with Hezbollah along Israel&#8217;s northern border.
Officials have estimated <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/live-updates/israel-gaza-hamas/?id=103804516">hundreds of people</a> have died and thousands are wounded in Israel and Gaza amid the fighting.
&#8220;We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks,&#8221; Blinken said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1710656878428967052">post</a> to X.
President Joe Biden, in a statement to social media, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-offers-unwavering-commitment-to-israel-after-iran-backed-hamas-invades-country">said</a> he spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and &#8220;reiterated [his] unwavering commitment to Israel’s security.&#8221;
The Biden administration is &#8220;looking at specific additional requests that the Israelis have made,&#8221; Blinken said on CNN, adding, &#8220;I think you’re likely to hear more about that later today.&#8221; Blinken also said Biden aims to “make sure that we’re providing Israel everything it needs in this moment to deal with the attacks from Hamas.&#8221;

Blinken Says U.S. Working To Verify Reports Of Americans Killed Or Captured In Hamas Attack On Israel

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