Blinken reaffirms US support to free Hamas hostages

WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, and reaffirmed Washington’s support to secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

I spoke with @MinColonna on Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Israel and continued engagement to respond to the violence by Hamas. Israel has the right to protect its citizens from these attacks and secure release of hostages.

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 10, 2023

Israeli officials say Hamas is holding dozens of people captive, including the elderly and children.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden confirmed that a minimum of 11 American citizens have lost their lives in Israel as a result of the recent attacks carried out by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. The US government believes that it is highly probable that American citizens may also be among those held hostage by Hamas.

Biden underscored the United States’ commitment to working closely with Israeli officials to gather additional information about the whereabouts of unaccounted-for US citizens.

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He assured American citizens in Israel that the State Department is actively providing consular assistance and updated security advisories. For those wishing to leave, commercial flights and ground transportation options remain accessible.

Biden emphasised that he has directed his team to collaborate closely with Israeli counterparts, encompassing intelligence-sharing and the deployment of experts from the US government, to address all aspects of the hostage situation