Posted on 10/08/23
| News Source: NBC News
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the U.S. is "actively working" to verify reports that several Americans may be among the dead in the Israel-Hamas conflict, as well as reports that there could be some U.S. hostages.
Hamas fighters on Saturday launched an attack on Israel through the country’s south. The ongoing attack has killed hundreds, and Hamas fighters have taken a number of civilians and soldiers hostage.
“Does the administration know at this point if U.S. citizens were among the dead or those taken hostage?” NBC News' Kristen Welker asked Blinken.
Blinken said: “So we have reports that several Americans may be among the dead. We are very actively working to verify those reports. Similarly, we’ve seen reports about hostages, and there, again, we’re very actively trying to verify them and nail that down.”
Pressed again about whether some U.S. citizens could have been taken hostage, as well, Blinken replied: “That’s correct.”
Meanwhile, in an interview on CBS' "Face the Nation," the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, indicated that Americans are among Hamas’ hostages.
“I understand there are, but I don’t have details,” he said, adding, however, that he couldn’t provide numbers.