U.S. President Joe Biden and other American officials Oct. 7 condemned the Hamas attack on Israel.
“The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza,” President Biden said in a statement.
“Terrorism is never justified. Israel has a right to defend itself and its people. The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation. My administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering,” he added.
Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel earlier Saturday.
President Biden said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and conveyed that the United States was “ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the government and people of Israel.”
He also said he and his team were tracking the situation closely.
Members of Congress also condemned what happened.
“I am outraged by these horrific attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israel. The United States stands with Israel as they defend themselves against these unprovoked attacks,” Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) said in a statement.
“Hamas’ killing of innocent Israelis in their homes, during an invasion from Gaza, shows them to be what they are—a murderous terrorist organization,” wrote Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).
Former U.S. President Donald Trump in a statement blamed President Biden for what transpired.
“These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force. Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks,” he said. “We brought so much peace to the Middle East through the Abraham Accords, only to see Biden whittle it away at a far more rapid pace than anyone thought possible.”
Israel declared a state of war after the surprise attack.
Hamas launched rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel and militants “infiltrated into Israeli territory in a number of different locations,” the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement.
Retired Israeli Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi told The Epoch Times that Hamas being able to enter Israel without being stopped was “an intelligence failure.”
“We are caught completely off guard. Apparently, without intelligence, there was also no reinforcement of forces,” he said. He added, “we need to enter Gaza and defeat Hamas.”
Reports indicated fighting in Sderot, in southern Israel, a city of around 30,000 within one mile of the strip.
Hamas was believed to have taken control of the police station in Sderot and was fighting from there.
“We are at war,” Mr. Netanyahu told Israelis in a video message. He vowed, “The enemy will pay an unprecedented price.”
Israeli forces launched retaliatory strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Hamas military commander Mohammad Deif said that the attack stemmed from Israelis not heeding demands from Hamas and continuing to block off the Gaza Strip.
“As the Israeli occupation maintains its siege of the Gaza Strip and continues its crimes against our Palestinian people while showing utmost disregard for international laws and resolutions amid US and Western support and international silence, we have decided to put an end to all of that,” he said in a statement posted on the Hamas website.
Hamas also claimed it had captured some Israeli soldiers.
The United States and the European Union, among other nations and entities, have designated Hamas as a terrorist group.
The Islamic militant group was formed in 1987 and has a goal of destroying Israel.
Hamas and Israel engaged in a war in 2021, which resulted in thousands of reported casualties.
