U.S. Secretary of State Andrew Blinken revealed that as many as 1,000 Hamas fighters participated in the assault, underscoring the extensive planning undertaken by the militant group ruling Gaza. These gunmen wreaked havoc for hours, indiscriminately firing on civilians in towns, along highways, and even at a techno music festival taking place in the desert near Gaza.
International Death Toll
Amid this turmoil, Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, confirmed the presence of American citizens among the hostages but refrained from providing specific details about their identities or the fate of other Americans who may have lost their lives.
Dermer stated, “Unfortunately, I can’t. We have a lot of dual citizens in Israel. I suspect there are several, but we’re still trying to sort through all of this information after this horrific surprise attack. And we’ll make sure to put that information out so that the loved ones of these people who were killed and who are held hostage know as quickly as possible,” during his appearance on CNN’s ‘State of the Union.’
