Israel forms unity government
Death toll of US citizens killed in Hamas attacks on Israel rose to 22, with 17 still unaccounted for.
Israel today formed a unity emergency government as it prepared to intensify its campaign to retaliate against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas for its slaughter of over 1,200 Israeli civilians in attacks Saturday.
The Israeli war cabinet is comprised of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and opposition leader and former Israeli Defense Minister and Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz.
“There is a time for peace and a time for war,” Gantz said at an event with Netanyahu and Gallant today (Oct. 11) announcing the war cabinet. “Now is the time for war.”
Former Army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, a member of Gantz’s party, and former Israeli ambassador to the United States and close Netanyahu advisor Ron Dermer will serve as observers in the security cabinet, which “is set to expire when hostilities are completed,” the Washington Post report said.
President Biden, who spoke again today with Netanyahu, their fourth call since Saturday, alluded to the unity government and seemed to praise it in remarks to U.S. Jewish leaders tonight.
“I believe he's… doing everything in his power to pull the country together, to stay on the same page,” Biden said of Netanyahu. “And we're going to do everything in our power to make sure they succeed, and God willing, bring home those Americans who are in harm's way.”
Biden also said he told Netanyahu in their calls that it is important to respect the rules of war in how Israel conducts its war against Hamas, and try to protect civilian life.
“I've known Bibi for over 40 years. And [we have a] very frank relationship,” Biden said. “I know him well. And the one thing that I did say that it is really important that Israel, [for] all the anger, frustration…, that they operate by the rules of war.”
The developments came as the United States said today that 22 American citizens had been killed in the attacks in Israel on Oct. 7. Another 17 American citizens currently remain unaccounted for.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said as prepared to fly to Israel today that he feared that death toll could rise.
“That number could still go up, and it probably will,” Blinken said. “At the same time, we have a number of Americans who remain unaccounted for. We are working very closely with the Government of Israel to determine their whereabouts and if they have been taken hostage by Hamas, to work to secure their release.”
“Nobody wants to see any more innocent life lost,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at the White House briefing today (Oct. 11).
He said the United States supports the idea of possible safe passage for civilians from Gaza, but did not yet have anything to announce.
“We're actively discussing this with our Israeli and our Egyptian counterparts,” Kirby said. “We support safe passage for civilians. Civilians are not to blame for what Hamas has done. They didn't do anything wrong. And we continue to support safe passage. I don't have an announcement to make today. I can't tell you a specific route or a corridor. I just want to make it clear that we are actively working on this with our Egyptian and in our Israeli counterparts.
“Civilians are protected under the laws of armed conflict, and they should be given every opportunity to avoid the fighting,” Kirby said.
Biden told the Jewish community leaders tonight he hoped the Israeli campaign against Hamas could be conducted in a way that it does not flare up again.
“Folks, because of you,…because of the intensity and the intellect and the brilliance you bring to this cause, I think we have a chance to end this in a way that makes it very difficult for it to be repeated,” he said.
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