In the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that there are at least 20 Americans missing in Israel. The war has already resulted in a tragic loss of over 1,600 lives.
Speaking during a press briefing at the White House, Sullivan emphasized that while at least 20 Americans are currently missing in Israel, this does not necessarily mean they are being held hostage. He clarified, “We believe that there are 20 or more Americans who, at this point, are missing. But I want to underscore and stress, that that does not mean necessarily that there are 20 or more American hostages. Just that is the number who are currently unaccounted for.”
Sullivan further explained that the exact number of Americans being held hostage by Hamas remains unknown, and they are actively working to ascertain their status. “We will work hour by hour both to determine whether we can account for any of those Americans or to confirm exactly what the number of Americans who are being held hostage is,” Sullivan stated, acknowledging that the number of unaccounted Americans could potentially rise.
President Biden, in a speech on Tuesday, revealed that at least 14 Americans have lost their lives since the war’s commencement. He condemned the recent violence, describing it as “an act of sheer evil.” Biden added, “The people of Israel live through one such moment this weekend,” highlighting the gravity of the situation.
The ongoing conflict has seen a total of 1,600 lives lost, with over 1,000 of those casualties occurring in Israel. The situation remains fluid and is marked by uncertainty, as efforts continue to locate missing Americans and secure their well-being.
