Senate Majority Leader Confirms American Deaths in Israel Attack
Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has confirmed that at least four Americans have been killed in the attack in Israel.
“The administration told us that they know of four [Americans who were killed] thus far, but, sadly, we know the toll will rise,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement released Sunday night.
The senator said he had received an unclassified briefing from Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland and Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Sasha Baker about the “overwhelming and heart wrenching” viciousness and brutality in what he called an “unprecedented attack.”
Hamas was targeting “innocent civilians—children, families, seniors,” he added.
“I asked the representatives of our Defense Department if they are giving Israel everything they need, and I was heartened that they said yes and that they are surging support,” the senator said. “I asked if they have denied any requests that Israel has made, and they said no. I urged them to ensure Israel has everything it needs to protect itself, and reiterated that the Senate stands ready to deliver on additional needs.
He added, “The [Biden] administration said they are keeping a careful eye on Iran and keeping all pressure on them and their proxies to ensure the situation does not expand,” less than a month after the Biden administration released $6 billion in funds to Doha, Qatar, for Tehran to access for humanitarian purposes.
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks during a press conference in Congress in Washington on Sept. 19, 2023. (Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times)
However, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi told NBC News on Sept. 12 that the unfrozen money “belongs to the Iranian people, the Iranian government, so the Islamic Republic of Iran will decide what to do with this money” and that the funds will go wherever Iran needs them.
Hamas, a group of Iran-backed Palestinian Islamists operating out of the Gaza Strip, is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States.
During its surprise Oct. 7 attack against Israel, Hamas reportedly killed at least 700 Israelis, wounded more than 2,100, and kidnapped over 100 others. It represents the most significant foreign attack on Israel in decades.
Initially, it was unclear if any Americans were caught up in the attack.
A White House National Security Council (NSC) spokesperson said in a widely shared media statement on Sunday, ”We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and to the families of all those affected, and wish those injured a speedy recovery” after confirming the deaths of several Americans.
It’s expected that a more comprehensive list of casualties will be shared in the coming days.
People assess the damage in a street in Tel Aviv, after it was hit by a rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. (Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images)
At the moment, it appears authorities are still scrambling to catch up to the flood of information after the surprise attack caught everyone off guard.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in touch with our Israeli partners, particularly the local authorities,” the NSC spokesperson said.
Government Working Overtime to Verify Reports of Killed or Captured Americans
The confirmed deaths come in the wake of Secretary of State Antony Blinken telling CNN’s “State of the Union” the United States was “working overtime” to verify reports of missing and dead Americans.
“We have reports that several Americans were killed,” Blinken told CNN on Sunday. “We’re working overtime to verify that. At the same time, there are reports of missing Americans and there again, we’re working to verify those reports.”
Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer also told CNN’s “State of the Union,” on Sunday he believed there are “scores of hostages,” taken by Hamas, and that American hostages are among the captured Israelis.
Palestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian, center, from Kibbutz Kfar Azza into the Gaza Strip on Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Hatem Ali)
Mr. Dermer did not specify how Americans were among those kidnapped or where he had gotten his information.
According to an Oct. 8 post from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, the exact number of people kidnapped by Hamas isn’t known at this stage.
However, he believes there “is a very large amount of Israeli civilians and soldiers held inside Gaza,” with the official number to become clearer in the coming days.
“At this time, I can only say that we are talking about many, many Israeli Israelis who were forcefully taken from Israel, women, children, infants, elderly, even disabled people,” Mr. Conricus said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
In an Oct. 8 statement shared by Reuters, Islamic Jihad chief Ziad al-Nakhala said his faction was holding captive more than 30 of the Israelis taken since the attack on Israel.
He reportedly refused to release any captives until “all of our prisoners are released,” supposedly referring to his fellow terrorists being held in Israeli prisons.
There was no mention of Americans among those captured by Ziad al-Nakhala’s faction.
According to the State Department, American travelers in Israel and the West Bank are urged to “exercise increased caution” due to terrorism and civil unrest. A “Do not travel” warning for Gaza remains in place.
In an Oct. 8 update, the State Department cautioned citizens to listen to authorities until further notice.
“The situation in Israel remains dynamic; mortar and rocket fire may take place without warning,” the update said. “Individuals should follow the instructions of security and emergency response officials.”
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