White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the terrorist group Hamas had “even more American blood on its hands” following the murder of six hostages kidnapped on October 7, including Americans.
“The recent events have been heinous, heinous murders, and there is more American blood on the hands of Hamas,” he said at the daily press conference.
The White House confirmed in the early hours of Sunday that Israeli forces had found the lifeless bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in Gaza, including that of the young American Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
“Hamas leaders will pay for this crime.” “I will not broadcast from here, from this podium, what will happen, but we want to make it very clear who is responsible and what the United States position is on this issue,” Jean-Pierre said.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States wants Hamas leaders to be held accountable for their crimes, whether they are brought to justice or killed on the battlefield.
“The (US) Department of Justice seeks to hold those responsible for the deaths of Americans accountable for their actions or to otherwise bring justice to terrorists,” said Miller, who believed that “the Hamas leadership is responsible for the deaths of Hersh and the other hostages.
Israel’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine found that the hostages were “killed” by “multiple shots” fired by Hamas forces, contradicting the Palestinian Islamist terror group’s claim that they died in bombings.
According to a forensic investigation, the hostages’ deaths are estimated to have occurred approximately 48 to 72 hours before their examination, between Thursday and early Friday morning.
“The President (Joe Biden) is committed to ensuring that we reach a ceasefire agreement that will end the war.” “He wants this war to end, we want to continue to receive aid to the Palestinian people, we want to increase aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza and we want the hostages to return home,” Jean-Pierre noted.
After learning of the hostages’ deaths this weekend, President Joe Biden said he felt “devastated and outraged” by what had happened and warned that “Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes.”
Biden added that he would continue to “work tirelessly to ensure the release of the remaining hostages.” EFE and Aurora
