Biden Thrust Into New Hostage Battle With Iran In Hamas War
As it comes to light that “dozens” of US dual nationals have been kidnapped by Hamas, Israel’s bloody assault from Gaza now puts Biden at the center of another Iran-led hostage crisis.
As it comes to light that “dozens” of US dual nationals have been kidnapped by Hamas, Israel’s bloody assault from Gaza now puts Biden at the center of another Iran-led hostage crisis.
The regime’s proxy in Gaza, Hamas, designated as a terror group by the likes of the UK and US, has taken around 150 hostages into Gaza after a mass infiltration into Israel on Saturday, including women and children.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden spoke again with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirming that “dozens” of American citizens are among the hostages seized.
It is Biden’s worst nightmare after a recent deal to secure the release of just five US-Iranian dual nationals saw the regime pocket $6bn in previously frozen funds from South Korea, and another $2.7 billion released from Iraq in June, although not officially part of the ransom.
Robert O’Brien, the former national security adviser under Donald Trump’s presidency, has even called for American special forces to be deployed to Israel to rescue hostages, as the war continues to see the death toll climb beyond 700 on the Israeli side, and close to 500 on the Palestinian.
Speaking to Fox News, O’Brien said this weekend: “There is a direct correlation between taking Americans hostage and these big ransom payments. It has to end.”
Calling for the Biden administration to take urgent action after pictures of US-Israeli citizens began to circulate on social media, he said: “I think we need to get American servicemen who are specially trained to rescue hostages, we need to get them on the ground in Israel right away.”
The hostages in Gaza might prove to be one of the most difficult issues in this conflict, as they are now probably dispersed throughout the heavily populated Gaza strip and under armed guards. Once military operations subside one way or another, it is not clear what Hamas would demand for their release. If Israel invades the territory in full force, it is not clear what Hamas will do with the captives.
One of the citizens known to be missing is Hersh Goldberg-Polin, one of hundreds caught up in the war at a festival in Israel’s south. Hundreds of partygoers are still missing, and hundreds were slaughtered as Hamas gunmen landed in the midst of the festival with gliders and went on a killing spree.
Born in Berkeley, California, Goldberg-Polin had recently been discharged from the Israeli army and was working as a medic and waiter in Jerusalem before traveling to India.
US officials have said that at least four American citizens were killed over the weekend and an additional seven were missing and unaccounted for. Dozens more dual nationals are feared missing including German and British passport holders, Thais and Mexicans.
In spite of secretary of state Antony Blinken claiming to have seen no evidence of Iran’s orchestrating the weekend’s atrocities, the US began making moves that cannot be seen as anything but a message to the regime.
Defense secretary Lloyd Austin said Sunday he has ordered the Ford carrier strike group to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to be ready to assist Israel.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, and its approximately 5,000 sailors and deck of warplanes will be accompanied by cruisers and destroyers in a show of force that is meant to be ready to respond to anything, from possibly interdicting additional weapons from reaching Hamas from Iran and conducting surveillance.
The large deployment reflects a US desire to deter any regional expansion of the conflict. But the Israeli government formally declared war Sunday and gave the green light for “significant military steps” to retaliate against Hamas.
