President Joe Biden announced that a minimum of 11 American citizens has lost their lives in the recent violent outbreak in Israel, which marks the third day since Palestinian militants initiated a surprising and intricate attack within the nation.
In an official statement, Biden characterized these fatalities as a deeply distressing consequence of an abhorrent act of terrorism directed at Israel. The U.S. government holds the belief that the Hamas militant group is likely detaining American citizens as hostages.
The President went on to explain that the United States is collaborating with Israel to manage the hostage situation.
Biden emphasized the significance of the Israel-U.S. connection, stating that it holds a profound personal connection for countless American families who are currently grappling with the agony of this assault.
As of now, the identities of the deceased Americans have not been disclosed, and it remains uncertain whether any of them hailed from New York, a city with a substantial Jewish population of approximately 1.6 million.
In New York City, there was a noticeable increase in police presence surrounding synagogues on Monday.
Furthermore, major U.S. airlines have canceled flights to and from Israel. On Monday, approximately 50 residents of New York were attempting to return from Israel, according to a count conducted by Rep. Grace Meng’s office.
The State Department has confirmed that it is in contact with the families of the American citizens who lost their lives in these tragic events.
The ongoing conflict has already resulted in a significant death toll, surpassing 1,300 individuals, and the situation escalated on Monday as Israel authorized an intensive retaliatory operation in the besieged Gaza Strip.
According to the Israel Defense Forces, at least 700 individuals have perished in Israel. In contrast, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported a death toll of 687 Palestinians as of Monday.