As the deadly Israel-Hamas war entered its sixth day, concern for hostages of several nations taken by Hamas in their captive is growing, including those from the United States of America. The top US diplomat Antony Blinken is already on his way to Israel to take account of the situation and meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
At home, US President Joe Biden in an emotional message reaffirmed his commitment on Wednesday to secure the safe return of American citizens held captive in Gaza. He also urged the Israeli Prime Minister to adhere to the principles of warfare while responding to what he characterized as “a campaign of pure cruelty” by Hamas.
The situation remained tense, as there are more than 20 Americans whose whereabouts are still unknown in Israel. Biden has already accepted that some US citizens are potentially taken hostage by Hamas. He has previously likened Hamas to the terrorist organization ISIS due to the extreme brutality of their attacks on Israel, including acts as heinous as beheadings and the killing of infants.
In addressing the ongoing crisis, President Biden emphasized that he and his national security team were working round the clock to devise a plan for the safe repatriation of the Americans in question. During a roundtable discussion at the White House with Jewish community leaders, he acknowledged the pressure from the press and the public, stating, “The media may ask, ‘What are you doing to bring these individuals home?’ However, sharing specific details could jeopardize our efforts.”
While condemning the horrific attack, which he described as “the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust” and “one of the worst chapters in human history,” President Biden expressed his concern to Prime Minister Netanyahu regarding the potential escalation of the situation.
He urged caution in response to Israel’s aggressive actions, which included the recent “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, leaving this densely populated area, with approximately half of its residents being children, without access to essential resources such as food, water, fuel, and electricity.
While the intention behind this move was to deprive Hamas of resources, humanitarian organizations have raised concerns about the dire consequences it has imposed on the Palestinian population, who are also suffering due to the ongoing conflict.
President Biden did not divulge the specifics of his conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu on that Wednesday. However, he made it clear that he has maintained a longstanding relationship with Netanyahu and conducts candid discussions. He stressed the importance of Israel adhering to the rules of warfare, even in the face of anger and frustration surrounding the situation in Gaza.
It is to be noted in the worst strike in recent history Hamas attacked Israel’s civilian areas, killing hundreds of Israelis. Hamas terrorists also took unknown number of people as hostages, which include citizens from several nations including from USA and UK.
In retaliation Israel wowed for worst revenge and attacked on Gaza to eliminate Hamas from its root. Total number of causalities from both sides have crossed 3600, though exact numbers are unknown.
