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WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden condemned the attacks by Hamas on US ally Israel as “sheer evil” in an emotional speech Tuesday and said Washington is ready to deploy more military assets to the region.
The Palestinian militant group had carried out atrocities including murders of entire families and rapes of women, an indignant Biden said from the White House, also mentioning “stomach-turning reports of babies being killed.”
“There are moments in this life — I mean this literally — when a pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world,” he said in a hushed voice during a televised speech.
“This is an act of sheer evil.”
Biden also confirmed that at least 14 Americans had died in the surprise attacks on Saturday, and that a number had been taken captive by Hamas, which has threatened to kill hostages if Israel does not warn civilians of upcoming attacks on Gaza.
At least 20 US citizens were still missing, although that was not the total number of hostages, Biden’s National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said.
Hamas retorted that Biden’s comments were an “attempt to cover crimes” by Israel.
Biden’s remarks were his clearest show of support for Israel yet as the death toll surged above 900 in the “sickening” attack by Hamas. Gaza officials have also reported 900 people killed in Israeli air strikes.
Flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden pledged that “we stand with Israel and we will make sure it has what it needs.”
The 80-year-old president also underlined his message with unusually graphic descriptions of the carnage in Israel.
“Parents butchered, using their bodies to try to protect their children,” Biden said during the 10-minute speech. “Young people massacred while attending a musical festival to celebrate peace. Women raped, assaulted, paraded as trophies.”
As fears grow of a regional conflagration, Biden was equally direct about long-term foe Iran, which backs Hamas as well as the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
“To any country, any organization, anyone thinking of taking advantage of this situation, I have one word: don’t.”
The president’s remarks were delayed by more than an hour while he and Harris spoke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the third time since the attacks.
Netanyahu said he described the attacks in that call as “savagery never seen since the Holocaust.”
Biden earlier posted a picture of himself in the secure White House Situation Room meeting top national security officials to discuss the crisis.
The United States was now “surging” assistance for Israel including missiles for its Iron Dome interceptor system, Biden said.
Washington has ordered its largest aircraft carrier to move closer to Israel and Biden said he was ready to move “additional assets” if needed to deter Israel’s adversaries.
But the United States does not yet have evidence of direct Iranian involvement, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, even if US officials said they were still scrutinizing intelligence on the issue.
Blinken would be visiting Israel to show “solidarity and support” on Thursday, the State Department said.
The White House meanwhile showed no sign of calling for restraint by Israel as the death toll mounted on both sides.
“I’m not here to draw red lines,” Sullivan told reporters. “We’re going to support them for as long as they need to ensure that Israel is safe and secure.”
The United States was deploying hostage experts to Israel to help, but Sullivan said that “we are not currently sending forces to Israel, and I’ll leave it at that for now.”
Biden’s response is being closely watched at home ahead of next year’s US election where Republicans accuse the Democrat president of being soft on Iran.
Sullivan insisted on the president’s commitment to Israel, saying recent days had been an “emotional” time for Biden, who had known Netanyahu for four decades.
“I’m sure you heard the president’s voice,” he said. “This is personal for us.”