Over 1,600 people, including 11 Americans, have lost their lives in the unprecedented attack launched by Hamas on Israel over the weekend, leading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, President Biden, along with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, expressed their unified support for the State of Israel and their unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its acts of terrorism.
The statement emphasized that there is no justification for the terrorist actions of Hamas and called for universal condemnation. The leaders pledged their support for Israel’s efforts to defend itself and its people against such atrocities.
Key Updates:
- Israeli officials reported that over 900 Israeli civilians, including more than 250 attendees of a music festival and military personnel, were killed by the Palestinian militant group, with another 2,500 wounded.
- On the Gaza Strip, over 680 people have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes, and more than 3,700 others have been wounded, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry.
- At least 11 U.S. citizens were among the casualties.
The conflict has led to disruptions in travel, with several airlines canceling flights to and from Israel. However, some airports in Israel remain open.
Additionally, the statement sheds light on Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas’s military wing, who orchestrated the initial attacks on Israel. He cited reasons such as the long-standing blockade on Gaza and the recent incident at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as motives for the operation.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss U.S. support for Israel, with President Biden planning to deliver remarks on Hamas’s attacks on Israel.
As the conflict continues, various foreigners have been affected, with casualties and missing individuals reported from multiple countries, including the United States, Thailand, France, Canada, Ukraine, Argentina, and Nepal. AFP has compiled a comprehensive list of foreigners who have suffered due to Hamas’s attacks in Israel.
