According to a statement released by the White House on Friday, intelligence agencies in the United States have not detected any indication that the recent terrorist strikes carried out by Hamas in Israel pose a threat to the United States.
“Yesterday, the President met with his national security team along with the Attorney General Secretary, my office, DHS, and other administration officials in the White House Situation Room to discuss the current homeland threat environment, what we’re doing to prepare to safeguard Jewish and Muslim communities across the country,” John Kirby, a spokesperson on national security issues, told reporters on Oct. 13.
“I want to be completely and crystal clear on one thing: At this time, none of our intel agencies have any specific intelligence indicating a threat to the United States stemming from the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel. That said, we continue to remain vigilant to any and all threats.”
Over the past weekend, the terrorist group Hamas, which governs Gaza, carried out strikes that resulted in the deaths of more than one thousand Israelis and stoked worries of an escalation of the conflict throughout the Middle East.
The subsequent strikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of thousands of Palestinians, and now Israeli soldiers are ready to conduct operational raids in Gaza. Thus far, an estimated 27 Americans have been killed as a result of the violence, and 14 others are still missing.
The number of antisemitic acts that have occurred in recent years has been on the rise, and this week at the White House, President Biden met with Jewish community leaders in order to give his support for the community.
Mr. Kirby said the day before, on Thursday, Oct. 12, that the United States government has not ruled out any possible course of action with regard to ensuring the release of hostages being held by the terrorist organization Hamas.
The spokesperson added that U.S. authorities still do not have adequate information about how many American hostages there are and who they are.
More than 1,300 people, including 222 soldiers, have been killed in Israel, according to the Israeli military, which also said that more than 3,000 people have been injured as a result of the violence.
In the meantime, the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza stated late Thursday that Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of 1,500 people and injuries to over 6,600 others. These Israeli airstrikes were a direct response to the attack carried out by Hamas. According to estimates provided by Israel, hundreds of Hamas militants are among those who have lost their lives in Gaza.
The Israeli military reportedly instructed the United Nations early on Friday morning that the 1.1 million Palestinians living in Gaza should migrate to the enclave’s south within the next twenty-four hours, according to a spokesman for the United Nations. Palestinians are concerned that this could be a precursor to an Israeli ground offensive that is currently being planned.
The Israeli military did not immediately make a comment on the warning, which came at a time when Israel was amassing tanks near the Gaza border and pounding the Palestinian enclave with air strikes in response to a Hamas militant attack in Israel that resulted in the death of Israeli civilians.
Late on Oct. 12, more than 150 House members congregated on the Capitol steps for a candlelight vigil in support of Israel.
House Democrats and Republicans observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of last weekend’s terrorist attacks by Hamas, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of civilians and the capture of more than a hundred hostages.
