“This is not a distant tragedy.” On Monday, October 9, Joe Biden considered it “likely” that “American citizens are among those detained by Hamas.” The President of the United States announced that eleven of his fellow citizens were killed in attacks by the Palestinian Islamist group against Israel. “Americans across the country are united in the face of these terrible acts that have once again taken the lives of innocent Americans,” said Joe Biden. He will speak about these attacks at the White House on Tuesday. Follow our live stream.
More than 1,600 dead on both sides of the border. According to the Israeli army, more than 900 Israelis have been killed since the offensive began on Saturday. The Israeli Ministry of Health also reported 2,616 injuries. On the Palestinian side, 687 people were killed and 3,727 injured, according to local authorities.
Hamas threatens to execute the hostages. Israel imposed a “total siege” and stepped up attacks on the Gaza Strip on the third day of the Palestinian Islamist movement’s massive offensive. “Every time our people are attacked without warning, it will result in the execution of one of the civilian hostages,” Hamas threatened. According to the government, more than a hundred people have been kidnapped in Israel.
Westerners condemn the attacks. Germany, the United States, France, Italy and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement Monday evening announcing that they would “support Israel’s defense efforts” and “unequivocally condemn Hamas.” The UN secretary-general acknowledged Israel’s “legitimate concerns for its security” but said he was “deeply dismayed” by the announcement of a “total siege” of the Gaza Strip.