Americans among hostages held by Hamas, Biden says
From CNN's Aditi Sangal
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that there are Americans among hostages taken by Hamas as part of the militant group's attack on Israel.
"We now know that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas," he said.
Biden added that he has directed his team to "share intelligence and deploy additional experts from across the United States government to consult with and advise Israeli counterparts on hostage recovery efforts."
"Because, as president, I have no higher priority than the safety of Americans being held hostage around the world," he added.
2:40 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
Turkish president and UN secretary-general discuss Israeli-Palestinian conflict
From CNN's Radina Gigova
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by phone with UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Tuesday, according to a statement by the Turkish presidency.
"Reviewing the steps that can be taken concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict, the two leaders discussed ways to send humanitarian aid to the innocent civilians in the region through Turkey’s mediation," it said. "Stressing that disproportionate attacks may further exacerbate the deadlock, President Erdogan said that it is of vital importance for the parties to act with common sense and avoid impulsive steps," the statement added.
2:53 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
Biden: "Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right to respond"
US President Joe Biden reiterated the US's support for Israel, and said that if the US were attacked in the way Israel was attacked this weekend, "our response would be swift decisive and overwhelming."
"Like every nation in the world, Israel has the right to respond — indeed has a duty to respond to these vicious attacks," Biden said.
Biden noted that he had just wrapped up a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I told him, 'If the United States experienced what you're experiencing, our response would be swift decisive and overwhelming,'" Biden said. He added he and Netanyahu discussed how democracies are "more secure when we act according to the rule of law."
Watch here:
2:29 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
At least 14 American citizens killed in Israel, Biden says
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday said there were at least 14 American citizens among those killed following the attacks by Hamas on Israel.
That's a slight increase from the death toll on Monday, when there were 11 US citizens confirmed dead.
2:48 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
US President Biden: Hamas attack on Israel is "an act of sheer evil"
US President Joe Biden condemned Saturday's attacks by Hamas on Israel, calling it "an act of sheer evil."
People in Israel lived suffered "pure unadulterated evil" at the "bloody hands of the terrorist organization Hamas, a group whose stated purpose for being is to kill Jews. This is an act of sheer evil," Biden said Tuesday.
He noted that more than 1,000 people have died in Israel, including at least 14 American citizens. "Parents butchered using their bodies to try to protect their children — stomach-turning reports of babies being killed, entire families slain. Young people massacred while attending a musical festival to celebrate peace."
He added, "Women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies. Families hidden in fear for hours and hours, desperately trying to keep their children quiet to avoid drawing attention. And thousands of wounded, alive but carrying with them the bullet holes and the shrapnel wounds and the memory of what they endured."
"You all know these traumas never go away," Biden said.
Watch:
2:33 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
2 senior Hamas members killed in Israel strikes, IDF says
From CNN's Ruba Alhenawi and Nurit Ben
Two senior Hamas members – Minister of Economy Jawad Abu Shammala and senior member of the Hamas political bureau Zachariah Abu Maamar – were killed in overnight strikes, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
Abu Shammala was responsible in his role for managing terrorism funding within and outside of the Gaza Strip, the IDF said, while describing Abu Maamar as "a senior Hamas decision-maker and coordinator between terror groups in the Gaza Strip."
Abu Maamar was a "known confidant" to Yahya Sinwar, who is the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the IDF said.
Hamas in turn on Tuesday confirmed the deaths in a statement on its Telegram channel, describing them as “Hamas political office members.”
3:21 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
Canada investigating reports of 1 Canadian dead in Israel and 3 others missing
From CNN’s David Williams and Amanda Jackson
The Canadian government says it is aware of reports that one Canadian was killed and three others are missing in Israel after Hamas launched a devastating attack from Gaza over the weekend.
Canadian government officials in Israel are “in contact with local authorities to confirm and gather additional information," Global Affairs Canada said in a statement Monday evening, noting more than 2,450 Canadians are registered as abroad in Israel, with another 480 Canadians registered in Palestinian territories.
The government said it would “not comment on or release any information which may compromise ongoing efforts or endanger the safety of Canadians," and it has not identified any Canadian victims.
The parents of 33-year-old Canadian Alexandre Look, however, have said their son was killed in the attack on the outdoor music festival near Re’im, Israel.
Raquel Ohnona Look and Alain Haim Look told CNN news partner CBC that they were on the phone with their son as he tried to escape the gunfire. Look and other festival-goers sought shelter in a bunker without a door, his parents said.
The Canadian government has not identified any Canadian victims of the attacks. But Premier François Legault sent his condolences to Look's family on Monday.
Israel has right to defend itself, but "collective punishment" of all Palestinians unfair, EU diplomat says
From CNN's James Frater and Radina Gigova
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks to members of the media ahead of a EU-US Energy Council Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4, 2023. Olivier Matthys/Pool/Reuters/FILE
Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas attacks, but it has to do it in accordance with international law, the European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Tuesday.
"A collective punishment against all Palestinians will be unfair and unproductive. It will be against our interest and against the interest of peace," Borrell said after an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Muscat, Oman. "Not all the Palestinian people are terrorists."
While the EU considers Hamas a terrorist organization, the Palestinian Authority "is our partner," Borrell said.
"Israel has the right to defend, but it has to be done accordingly with international law, humanitarian law, and some decisions are counter to international law," he added.
Any steps toward peace should be made "with the Palestinians," otherwise "the cycle of violence will restart again," he warned.
"Our will is to continue supporting the Palestinian Authority," he said, discouraging the blockage of funding for Palestinians.
Some background: Hamas, which runs Gaza, presents itself as an alternative to the PA, which has recognized Israel and has engaged in multiple failed peace initiatives with it. The PA, which runs the occupied West Bank, is led by President Mahmoud Abbas.
3:00 p.m. ET, October 10, 2023
NOW: Biden addresses the Hamas-Israel war for the second time
US President Joe Biden is now speaking to address the fighting between Israel and Hamas that has continued for the fourth day straight since the Islamist militant group carried out one of the deadliest terror attacks in Israel's history.
At least 900 people are dead in Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces. Tel Aviv has responded with an overwhelming number of airstrikes on Gaza, the 140 square-mile densely populated territory controlled by Hamas, leaving at least 830 people dead there and displacing more than 137,000.
