Biden says US ready to offer ‘support’ to Israel after Hamas attack

WASHINGTON (Reuters): United States President Joe Biden, during his telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, assured of “appropriate means of support” to Israel following Hamas’ attack on Saturday.

Palestinian resistance group Hamas launched 5,000 rockets into Israel from Gaza, followed by gunmen infiltrating areas in the southern region of the country as part of its “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm”.

“The United States was ready to offer all appropriate means of support” to Israel after an attack from pro-Iran group Hamas,” the US president said.

The two leaders — who met in New York last month despite strained relations — spoke on the phone as the number of casualties from Hamas’ attack according to Israel’s N12 News soared to 100.

Defending Israel’s right to “defend itself”, Biden warned any other party hostile to Israel from taking advantage of the volatile situation.

“The United States warns against any other party hostile to Israel seeking advantage in this situation,” he said.

The attack comes amid efforts by Biden and his team to negotiate a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia and a US-Saudi defense pact.

Meanwhile, according to the Palestinian health ministry, there were “198 martyrs and 1,610 wounded with different injuries” in the conflict after Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

There are also reports of several Israeli citizens taken captive by Hamas fighters.

The Israeli military was aware of reports of captives, a security source said but provided no further details. In a briefing with reporters, an Israeli military spokesman declined to comment.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he would meet top security officials in the coming hours and Gallant authorised the call-up of reservists.