U.S. President Biden Confirms American Citizen Killed by Hamas
During a vacation statement, President Joe Biden announced the death of American citizen Judith Weinstein by Hamas and vowed to continue efforts to free other hostages.
Alex Carter
- 2023-12-28
- Updated 07:28 PM ET
(NewsNibs) - In an unexpected turn of events, U.S. President Joe Biden, while on vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, stated that American Judith Weinstein was killed by the Hamas militant group on October 7th. Judith Weinstein, 70, was reportedly kidnapped by the group along with her husband, Gadi Haggai, aged 73, who was also killed on the same day. President Biden expressed his commitment to continue working for the release of other hostages currently held by Hamas.
Active Diplomatic Engagement
In response to this tragic incident, President Biden has been actively involved with the situation, along with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. The President has met with the daughter of the couple and with families of other American hostages affected by the crisis earlier this month. Diplomatic efforts included several discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Emir of Qatar with the aim of negotiating the hostages' release.
Impact of Conflict
The ongoing conflict saw October 7th as one of its deadliest days when Hamas attacked kibbutzim, border towns, and a music festival in Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths. Retaliatory action in Gaza led to a staggering loss of over 21,000 Palestinian lives, as reported by health authorities in Gaza. During a brief ceasefire at the end of November, 110 hostages were released, with 23 others declared dead in absentia. The Hostages' and Missing Persons' Families Forum has indicated that among the hostages, five to ten hold American citizenship.
Recap and Commitment to Hostages
President Biden's revelation has underscored the gravity of the hostage situation in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. The U.S. government's pledge to secure the release of remaining hostages reflects an ongoing commitment to protect its citizens abroad while navigating the complexities of international diplomacy and conflict resolution.
