14名美国人在2004年的战斗中丧生以色列，总裁乔·拜登他证实，更多的人被哈马斯恐怖分子扣为人质。
拜登说:“我们现在知道，美国公民也在被哈马斯扣押的人当中。”。“我已指示我的团队分享情报，并从美国政府各部门抽调更多专家，就解救人质的努力与以色列同行进行磋商并提出建议。因为作为总统，我没有比在世界各地被扣为人质的美国人的安全更重要的事情。”
拜登在白宫发表了讲话，周一晚上，白宫被蓝白相间的灯光照亮，以示对以色列的支持。此前，哈马斯在周末发动了一次出人意料的海陆空入侵。
此后，以色列宣布进入战争警戒状态，并向加沙发动报复性空袭。双方死亡人数都在上升。
拜登在国宴厅发表讲话时愤怒地说，“生活中有一些时刻，我是认真的，当纯粹的邪恶在这个世界上释放出来的时候，”他的两侧是副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯和国务卿安东尼·布林肯。"这个周末，以色列人民经历了这样一个时刻."
2023年10月10日，美国总统乔·拜登在华盛顿白宫国宴厅发表演讲，谈论以色列和巴勒斯坦激进组织哈马斯之间的战争。
埃文·伍奇/美联社
“恐怖组织哈马斯的血腥之手，该组织宣称存在的目的是杀害犹太人，”拜登继续说道。“这是彻头彻尾的邪恶行为。1000多名平民被屠杀，不仅仅是被杀，在以色列被屠杀。其中，至少有14名美国公民遇难。”
尽管国家安全顾问杰克·沙利文在白宫每日简报中重复了这一点，但美国广播公司新闻部尚未证实以色列平民死亡的总人数。沙利文说，政府没有被扣为人质的美国人的确切人数，但表示有20名或更多的人被认为“失踪”
沙利文说:“我们不知道他们的情况，我们也无法确认美国公民的准确人数。”
沙利文补充说:“我们将一小时一小时地工作，既要确定我们是否能说明这些美国人的情况，也要确认被扣为人质的美国人的确切人数，我们一有信息就会回来。”。
当美国广播公司首席白宫记者玛丽·布鲁斯问及拜登是否与14名遇难美国人的家人谈过话时，沙利文说“还没有”，但国务院一直在与他们联系。
沙利文补充说，拜登一直将“确保我们能够保护那些遇难者的遗体，并确保他们回到亲人身边”作为优先事项。
在他发表讲话之前，拜登和哈里斯会见了他们的国家安全团队，以了解局势的最新情况，并就“下一步行动”给予指导。他们还与以色列总理本杰明·内塔尼亚胡进行了交谈。拜登在社交媒体上分享了一张会议照片，他说，与内塔尼亚胡的讨论侧重于“协调支持以色列，威慑敌对行动者，保护无辜人民。”
“我们和以色列站在一起，”拜登在向全国发表讲话时明确表示。“我们将确保以色列拥有保护其公民、自卫和应对此次袭击所需的一切。”
拜登直言不讳地描述了暴力的发展，称“哈马斯的血腥”让人想起ISIS的暴行，包括“令人反胃的婴儿被杀的报道”。"
但尽管他说，“以色列有权回应，事实上也有责任回应这些恶毒的攻击，”他还说，他与内塔尼亚胡讨论了美国和以色列等民主国家如何“在我们根据法治行事时更加强大和安全。”他周二表示，恐怖分子以平民为目标，而民主国家则“维护战争法”
当美国广播公司新闻频道(ABC News)驻白宫记者卡伦·特拉弗斯(Karen Travers)问及拜登是否在以色列发出进入下一阶段回应的信号时向内塔尼亚胡发出警告时，沙利文愤怒地说:“这不是警告。”
“这是两位领导人在相互交谈，”沙利文说。“一个人正领导着一个遭受了难以理解的攻击的国家，而另一个国家正站在他们身后保卫他们的国家。”
白宫国家安全发言人约翰·柯比星期二早些时候在美国广播公司的“早安美国”节目中被问及美国是否愿意为任何可能被哈马斯关押的美国人做交易。柯比只说他“不想走得太远。”
柯比说:“显然，美国人民的安全和保障是拜登总统的首要任务，我们在过去已经看到了这一点。”。“我们将继续努力，如果有美国人被扣为人质，我们将尽一切可能让他们回到属于他们的家人身边。”
政府是助推弹药美国国防部一名高级官员表示，此举旨在对伊朗和真主党形成威慑。
伊朗否认参与了哈马斯对以色列的袭击，美国和以色列也表示，他们没有确凿的证据证明伊朗与入侵有关。
GMA的柯比被问到，如果真主党(也被美国和其他国家认定为恐怖组织)参与冲突，可能会在冲突中开辟第二条战线。
“现在还不清楚。很明显，我们担心如果真主党决定介入，北方战线可能会被打开。“现在，有一些火箭发射，乔治，但没有迹象表明他们都像以前一样。所以，我们非常、非常密切地关注着这件事。”
拜登没有针对任何特定的国家或团体，但他警告“任何想利用这一局势的人”。
“我就一个字:不要。不要。我们的心可能会碎，但我们的决心是明确的。
Biden says US death toll rising in Israel, confirms Americans taken hostage
Fourteen Americans have been killed in the fighting inIsrael, PresidentJoe Bidenannounced Tuesday, and he confirmed more are among those being held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
"We now know that American citizens are among those being held by Hamas," Biden said. "I've directed my 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."
Biden delivered remarks at the White House, which was lit up in blue and white on Monday evening in a show of support for Israel after Hamas launched a surprise air, sea and land incursion over the weekend.
Israel since declared a state of alert for war and has been sending retaliatory airstrikes to Gaza. The number of people killed on both sides is mounting.
"There are moments in this life, and I mean this literally, when pure, unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world," Biden said angrily as he spoke in the State Dining Room flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "The people of Israel lived through one such moment this weekend."
"The bloody hands of the terrorist organization Hamas, a group who stated purpose for being is to kill Jews," Biden continued. "This was an act of sheer evil. More than 1,000 civilians slaughtered, not just killed, slaughtered in Israel. Among them, at least 14 American citizens killed."
ABC News has not confirmed that total number of civilians killed in Israel, though it was repeated by national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the daily White House briefing. Sullivan said the administration did not have the exact number of Americans being held hostage but said 20 or more are considered "missing."
"We do not know about their condition, and we cannot confirm a precise number of American citizens," Sullivan said.
"We will work hour by hour, both to determine whether we can account for any of those Americans, or to confirm exactly what the number of Americans are being held hostage and we will come back too with that information as soon as we have it," Sullivan added.
Asked by ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce if Biden had spoken to any of the families of the 14 Americans killed, Sullivan said "not yet" but that the State Department has been in contact with them.
Sullivan added that Biden has been making it a priority to "ensure that we can secure the bodies of those that have perished and ensure that they get returned to their loved ones."
Ahead of his remarks, Biden and Harris met with their national security teams to get an update on the situation and give direction on "next steps." They also spoke with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden, who shared a photo of the meeting on social media, said the discussion with Netanyahu focused on "coordination to support Israel, deter hostile actors, and protect innocent people."
"We stand with Israel," Biden made clear as he addressed the nation. "And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself and respond to this attack."
Biden didn't mince words as he described the violence unfolding, describing "Hamas' bloodthirstiness" as reminiscent of ISIS rampages -- including "stomach churning reports of babies being killed."
But while he said, "Israel has the right to respond, indeed has a duty to respond to these vicious attacks," he also said he spoke with Netanyahu about how democracies like the U.S. and Israel "are stronger and more secure when we act according to the rule of law." Terrorists, he said on Tuesday, target civilians while democracies "uphold the laws of war."
Asked by ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers if Biden was giving a warning to Netanyahu as Israel signals it's moving to the next phase of its response, Sullivan bristled: "It was not a warning."
"It was two leaders talking to one another," Sullivan said. "One who is leading a nation that has suffered an unfathomable attack and another nation who is standing behind them square in the defense of their country."
White House national security spokesman John Kirby, during an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America" earlier Tuesday, was asked if the U.S. would be willing to make a deal for any Americans who may be being held by Hamas. Kirby only said he "didn't want to get too far ahead of where we are."
"Clearly, the safety and security of Americans are a top priority for President Biden, we've seen that in the past," Kirby said. "We'll continue to work on this hard and if there are Americans that are being held hostage we'll do everything possible to get them home to their families where they belong."
The administration isboosting munitionsto Israel, and the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier was sent toward Israel -- a move a senior U.S. defense official said was intended to be a deterrent to Iran and Hezbollah.
Iran has denied involvement in the Hamas attacks on Israel, and the U.S. and Israel have also said they don't have hard evidence linking Iran to the incursion.
Kirby on GMA was pressed about the threat of a second front opening up in the conflict if Hezbollah -- also designated a terrorist group by the U.S. and other nations -- were to engage.
"It remains unclear. Obviously, we are concerned about the possibility that now a northern front could be opened up if Hezbollah decides to get engaged," Kirby said. "Now, there's been some exchange of rocket fire, George, but no signs that they're all in as it as it were. So, we're watching this very, very closely."
Biden didn't address any specific nation or group, though he had a warning against "anyone thinking of taking advantage of this situation."
"I have one word: don't. Don't. Our hearts may be broken, but our resolve is clear," the president said.
